Wireless communication systems

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and methods for wireless systems provide a mechanism to enhance the communication capabilities of wireless users. In an embodiment, a system includes a wireless server communicatively operable with a set of mobile wireless clients, where the wireless server has a share agent configured to control dissemination of information from a database on a shared basis responsive to a determination of a privacy state of the information. In an embodiment, a mobile wireless device has an integrated management system operable with a controller. The management system is configured to manage the mobile wireless device operable as a multiple-mode wireless client to each wireless server of a set of wireless servers such that information may be shared among the mobile wireless device and the set of wireless servers.

RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e)to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/952,544, filed Jul.27, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and notlimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates features of an embodiment of an architecture foroperation of wireless entities to transfer informational content usingwireless infrastructure.

FIG. 2A illustrates features of an embodiment of an architecture for awireless system including a wireless server.

FIG. 2B depicts an embodiment of a wireless architecture in which arelationship between mobile wireless clients and multiple wirelessservers is illustrated.

FIG. 3 illustrates features of an embodiment of a mobile wireless clientassociated with multiple wireless servers in a share group arrangement.

FIG. 4 shows features of an embodiment of a method to establish wirelessserver capabilities on an electronic system to provide a staging area ofwireless communication on the electronic system.

FIG. 5 shows features of an embodiment of a method for synchronizingwireless entities based on a share basis.

FIG. 6 shows features of an embodiment of a method to browse a wirelessserver from a mobile wireless device.

FIG. 7 shows features of an embodiment of a method to select and providecontent from a wireless server to a mobile wireless device based oncommands from the mobile wireless device.

FIG. 8A shows features of an embodiment of method including a mobilewireless device accessing and controlling an application executable on awireless server.

FIG. 8B shows features of an embodiment of method including a wirelessserver executing an application resident on the wireless server underthe control of a set of commands from a mobile wireless client.

FIG. 9 shows features of an embodiment of an arrangement of a home-basedwireless server coupled to home personal monitoring equipment with thehome-based wireless server communicatively coupled to a mobile wirelessclient.

FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C show embodiments of systems and methods forusing a mobile wireless client with more than one wireless server.

FIGS. 11A and 11B show embodiments of systems and methods for routinge-mail messages with external domains directly between mobile wirelessclients.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of a method of administering mobile wirelessclients.

FIG. 13 shows an alternate embodiment of a method of administeringmobile wireless clients.

FIG. 14 illustrates features of an embodiment of a wireless system thatmay be deployed in the architecture of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2.

FIG. 15 illustrates features of an embodiment of an informationalcontent management subsystem.

FIG. 16 illustrates features of an embodiment of a wireless mobiledevice.

FIG. 17 illustrates features of an embodiment of a user map.

FIG. 18 illustrates features of an embodiment of content retainers.

FIG. 19 illustrates features of an embodiment of content retainers.

FIG. 20 illustrates features of an embodiment of appointment data.

FIG. 21 illustrates features of an embodiment of memo data.

FIG. 22 illustrates features of an embodiment of an address book entry.

FIG. 23 illustrates features of an embodiment of a recurrence table.

FIG. 24 illustrates features of an embodiment of a synchronizationtable.

FIG. 25 illustrates features of an embodiment of a content retainertable.

FIG. 26 illustrates features of an embodiment of a user configurationtable.

FIG. 27 shows features of an embodiment of a method to presentinformational content.

FIG. 28 shows features of an embodiment of a method to synchronizeinformational content.

FIG. 29 shows features of an embodiment of a method to add a user to awireless server.

FIG. 30 shows features of an embodiment of a method to delete a userfrom a wireless server.

FIG. 31 shows features of an embodiment of a method to distributeinformational content.

FIG. 32 shows features of an embodiment of a method to processinformational content.

FIG. 33 shows features of an embodiment of a method to processinformational content.

FIG. 34 shows features of an embodiment of a method to delete sharedinformational content.

FIG. 35 shows features of an embodiment of a method to delete sharedinformational content.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawingsthat show, by way of illustration, details and embodiments in which theinvention may be practiced. These embodiments are described insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practiceembodiments of the present invention. Other embodiments may be utilizedand structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made withoutdeparting from the inventive subject matter. The various embodimentsdisclosed herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as someembodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to formnew embodiments. The following detailed description is, therefore, notto be taken in a limiting sense.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an architecture for operation ofwireless entities to transfer informational content using wirelessinfrastructure. The example architecture includes a group coordinator105 that provides a variety of services to a group 110 of mobilewireless devices. The mobile wireless devices may include, but are notlimited to, mobile telephones, portable computers, personal digitalassistants (PDAs), and other devices that may be conveniently carried bya user and provide wireless communication. Mobile telephones includewireless communication devices that have generally been referred to ascell phones. Mobile telephones may include a wide range of communicationdevices from portable phones with limited functionality beyond voicecommunication to portable phones capable of providing the functionalityof a personal computer. A personal computer (PC) herein refers tocomputing devices having an operating system (OS) such that use of thepersonal computer may be conducted by individuals having little or noknowledge of the basics of the underlying hardware and software thatoperate the PC and whose operation may be conducted without individualstypically authoring computer programs to operate the computer. Portablecomputers may include portable personal computers (PC)s. An example of aportable PC is a laptop computer or notebook computer that typically hasa display screen, keyboard, underlying hardware and software, and adisplay pointing device that are all integrated in a housing that caneasily be carried by an individual. Some PDAs may be viewed as a type ofportable computer.

Group coordinator 105 includes instrumentality to manage the operationof group 110 of mobile wireless devices under a common criterion or acommon set of criteria. Group coordinator 105 controls dissemination ofinformation among group 110. In some instances, the information may beshared between one or more of the mobile wireless devices in group 110.In some instances, the information may be shared to less than all themobile wireless devices in group 110. A privacy status may be used tomaintain and regulate the privacy of the information relative to bothmembers of group 110 and entities external to group 110. Theinstrumentality can be realized in hardware implementations, softwareimplementations, and combinations of hardware and softwareimplementations. Some portions of the instrumentalities may be describedin terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations ondata bits within a machine memory. An algorithm is here, and generally,conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desiredresult. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physicalquantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take theform of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. Theinstrumentality may operate to process, compute, calculate, determine,display, and/or conduct other activities correlated to processes of amachine such as a computer system, or similar electronic computingdevice, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical(electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers andmemories into other data similarly represented as physical quantitieswithin the computer system memories or registers or other suchinformation storage, transmission or display devices. Theinstrumentality may provide personalized capabilities, provide a pathwayto other content, or combinations thereof. The instrumentality may usedistributed applications, different numbers and types of software basedcomponents that couple two or more applications to enable data transferbetween the applications, hardware to provide services from a number ofdifferent sources, and may be realized on a variety of platforms such asservers and content management systems. The instrumentality may includeor provide access to subroutine code, code libraries, applicationprogram interfaces such as interpreters utilizing Java EE™, SimpleDirectMedia Layer™ (SDL) and DirectX™, combinations thereof, or othersuch electronic based functionalities.

Group Coordinator 105 may access information sources 115 usinginterconnection communication facilities 120. Information sources 115may include a wide variety of sources that provide informational contentin various formats. Information sources 115 may include informationalcontent in an open format without restrictions on what entities mayaccess the informational content. Information sources 115 may includeinformational content in an open format requiring registration by theentities to the informational content without further restrictions.Information sources 115 may include informational content accessiblebased on a subscription to the informational content. Informationsources 115 may include informational content accessible under a privacycondition administered by the corresponding information sources 115.

Informational content may include, but is not limited to, photographs,documents, music, video, audio transmissions, e-mail, messages,telephonic communications, personalized data, computational data,operational data, and combinations thereof. Personalized data mayinclude, but is not limited to, an individual's personal calendarentries, notes, contacts (names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mailaddress, etc.), memos, and other data personal to an individual. Theinformational content may be provided in a variety of electronicformats. Such electronic formats may include file formats havingextensions that include, but are not limited to, doc, dot, wpd, txt,xls, pdf, ppt, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, gif, html, htm, zip, tif, tiff, wmf,mp3, and wav.

Interconnection communications facilities 120 may include one or morecommunication networks that allow transfer of data among groupcoordinator 105, group 110 of mobile wireless devices, informationsources 115, and other communication entities accessible in conjunctionwith interconnection communications facilities 120. Interconnectioncommunications facilities 120 may be configured as a local area network,a wide area network, or combinations thereof. In addition,interconnection communications facilities 120 may be configured toinclude a private network. Interconnection communications facilities 120may be realized using one or more transmission media. Such transmissionmedia may include one or more of fiber optics, wired pairs, cable, orwireless media. In an embodiment, group coordinator 105 and members ofthe group 110 of wireless devices may communicate directly without usinginterconnection communication facilities 120. Interconnectioncommunications facilities 120 allow communication between groupcoordinator 105 and members of group 110 in a wireless infrastructurethat includes mobile wireless devices that do not share a commoncriterion or a common set of criteria with the group coordinator 105 andmembers of group 110, but use the same wireless infrastructure or atleast portions of the same wireless infrastructure.

In an embodiment, group coordinator 105 and group 110 of mobile wirelessdevices have an intrinsic relationship such that group coordinator 105operates in large part based on the intrinsic relationship with group110. The intrinsic relationship may be used to define a share group. Ashare group is two or more entities that share information in which theentities have a trusted relationship. The trusted relationship may bedirected to and held by one of the entities of the group. Groupcoordinator 105 may be realized as software for integration into amachine that provides simplified operation of the machine around thecore of group 110. Group 110 may be defined by a set of people having acommon relationship implementable in group coordinator 105. The set ofpeople may range from one to thousands. For group 110 of mobile wirelessdevices, the intrinsic relationship may be generated by a common use ofgroup coordinator 105 in which group coordinator 105 shares informationamong the members of group based on a unique identifier of a user group110 being a user of group coordinator 105. The relationship may beinitiated by installing unique identifiers of each member in a storagemedium of group coordinator 105 to create a share group.

In an embodiment, communications between a mobile wireless device ofgroup 110 and group coordinator 105 may be conducted over a securecommunication channel. The secure communication channel may becorrelated to the unique identification that establishes the grouprelationship of the wireless mobile device to the share group of groupcoordinator 105. In some embodiments, group coordinator 105 may berealized as group software installable on an existing machine having acontroller, such as one or more processors, and machine-readable mediumto store the instructions of the group software. In some embodiments,group coordinator 105 may be realized as a system having hardware andsoftware to execute the functions for the share group defined by groupcoordinator 105 and group 110 of mobile wireless devices. In variousembodiments, a simplified user interface (UI) may be provided to executeand operate the group software of group coordinator 105.

FIG. 2A illustrates features of an embodiment of an architecture for awireless system including a wireless server 205. A wireless server is aserver configuration that communicates with an entity over a channelestablished by the entities in a wireless network. Multiple wirelessservers may be located at various nodes in a wireless network. Multiplewireless servers may be located at a single node in a communicationsnetwork. A wireless server may be used to implement services from anetwork provider. A network provider provides a user with access to acommunication network and typically provides access to informationservices associated with the provided access to a communication network.Wireless server 205 may be associated with multiple network providersdependent upon the network provider services to which the registeredusers of wireless server 205 have entered agreements. Wireless server205 may be in a client-server relationships with a variety of systemsand devices, including mobile wireless clients 210 and web-based clients215. Wireless server 205 can be arranged as a group coordinator withrespect to mobile wireless clients 210. In an embodiment, wirelessserver 205 serves as a staging area for the dissemination ofinformational content to one or more mobile wireless clients of a sharegroup of wireless server 205. Wireless server 205 may communicate withthe mobile wireless clients over a wireless channel that is secured. Thesecure channel may be provided using encrypted data for security. In anembodiment, the data may be encrypted using the advanced encryptionstandard (AES).

In various embodiments, wireless server 205 may be configured as a setof inter-operative instructions that when processed using a controller,such as a processor, cause performance of functions correlated tointeraction within one or more of the wireless clients 210 and/or one ormore of the web-based clients 215. Wireless server 205 may have one ormore functional sections such as a controller 222, a router 224, adispatcher 226, a database 228, a mobile data system (MDS) 230, anattachment service 232, a policy service 234, a synchronization service236, a messaging agent 238, and an e-mail proxy service 240. E-mailproxy service 240 provides a mechanism for wireless server 205 to accessa group 241 of mail accounts external to wireless server 205. Group 241includes two or more mail accounts such as an internet message accessprotocol (IMAP) mail account 243, a post office protocol (POP) systemaccount 245, a google mail account 247, or other mail accounts 249.

In an embodiment, wireless server 205 includes a share agent 207configured to control dissemination of information from wireless server205 to mobile wireless clients 210 or other entities on a shared basisresponsive to a determination of a privacy state of the information.Share agent 207 may control one or more of database 228, mobile datasystem 230, attachment service 232, policy service 234, synchronizationservice 236, messaging agent 238, and e-mail proxy service 240. Shareagent 207 may be distributed among mobile data system 230, attachmentservice 232, policy service 234, synchronization service 236, messagingagent 238, and e-mail proxy service 240 or structured within one ofthese wireless server instrumentalities.

Wireless server 205 and mobile wireless clients 210 may operate as ashare group having secured communication and secured sharing by means ofwireless server 205. Wireless server 205 includes a list of identifiersthat uniquely identifies each of the mobile wireless clients 210 asbelonging to a user that is also a user of wireless server 205.Establishing the unique identifiers in wireless server 205 and eachcorresponding mobile wireless clients 210 may define the trustrelationship for the share group. The identities of each of the mobilewireless clients may be correlated to its secure remote password (SRP)key. The SRP key may be used for authentication when connecting to awireless network. The SRP key provides a unique identifier for wirelessserver 205 and may also indicate usage of a secure channel. The SRP keysmay be used for registering the wireless server 205 and determining thatwireless server 205 has a unique relationship with a wireless client tocommunicate with a network infrastructure. SRP key also allows anidentification of a wireless client with wireless server 205 over adirect plug-in channel or an unsecured Wi-Fi channel. A SRP key can beimplemented in any acceptable manner depending on the security needs ofthe situation. The implementation may range from simple combinations,such as the current date and time, to the use of complex cryptographicalgorithms. Simple implementations may be used in environments that arevery benign with respect to security. When security concerns are high,complex cryptographic algorithms may be used. Various combinations ofsecurity measures may be implemented with the SRP key.

The share group may have several levels for a privacy state. The privacystate may include, but is not limited to, a status as being owned by oneuser associated with one of mobile wireless clients 210, a status asbeing shared among two or more of mobile wireless clients 210 but lessthan all the mobile wireless clients 210, a status as being shared amongall of mobile wireless clients 210, and a status as being shared oraccessible by entities outside the group of mobile wireless clients 210in addition to being shared among all of mobile wireless clients 210. Astatus as being shared or accessible by entities outside the group ofmobile wireless clients 210 may include specified entities permittedaccessibility.

The share agent of wireless server 205 may be operable to makeinformational content available to mobile wireless clients 210. Suchinformational content may include one or more of audio, video, text, orcombinations thereof. An agent is a software entity, which is a set ofinstructions executable by a machine, capable of acting with a certaindegree of autonomy in order to accomplish tasks on behalf of its usermachine. An agent is typically defined in terms of its behavior and mayexecute its function based on the criteria contained within itsinstruction set. Agent code typically runs continuously to perform oneor more activities based on its instructions without being executeddirectly on demand. Capabilities associated with agents include, but arenot limited to, task selection, prioritization, goal-directed behaviour,decision-making without human intervention, engagement of othercomponents through a form of communication and coordination. Agentstypically analyze the context of activity in which they operate andreact to it appropriately. The share agent can activate and execute itsfunctionality based on an occurrence of an event or a setting inwireless server 205. For example, reception of a specified type of datain wireless server 205 may initiate activity of the share agent todisseminate the data based on stored criteria. Another example includesthe selection of a feature by a user of wireless server 205 that resultsin a change in setting that is one of the events to initiate activity bythe share agent.

Wireless server 205 may be realized in various configurations. Wirelessserver 205 may be configured in a hardware configuration includingmachine readable medium having machine-executable instructions toexecute functions to communicatively operate wireless server 205 withmobile wireless clients 210. Such a hardware configuration may includean integrated structure arranged in a manner similar to a desktopcomputer. Other hardware configurations may be used for wireless server205. Wireless server 205 may be configured as group software that may beinstalled on machine. In an embodiment, wireless server 205 isconfigured on a personal computer to wirelessly provide privateinformation, information generated on the personal computer, and sharedinformation to one or more of mobile wireless clients 210. A systemincorporating wireless server 205 may operate as a group-oriented systemhaving limited administration associated with the operation of wirelessserver 205. The system may include a user interface to administerwireless server 205 based on a set of administration parameters, wherethe set is managed by instruction-generated wizards and lists. A wizardis set of executed instructions that query a user for input to directthe user through steps to complete a task.

The various features of wireless server 205, some of which areillustrated in FIG. 2, may be realized in hardware, software, and/orcombinations thereof. The features may be configured to run as agentsfor wireless server 205. In various embodiments, several features may beincorporated in a single agent to operate these features.

Controller 222 may be used to manage database 228, router 224, anddispatcher 226 and to regulate operation of MDS services 230, attachmentservices 232, policy service 234, messaging agent 238, synchronizationservice 236. Router 224 is used to route communications to an entity.Router 224 is operable to control communication to a mobile wirelessclient selected from the mobile wireless clients 210. Such communicationmay be provided in a format selected from an e-mail message, an instantmessaging communication, a page message, a text communication, atelephonic call, or other format. Dispatcher 226 may be used to controlthe implementations of services on wireless server 205. Based on anacquired license to use wireless server 205 or particular services inwireless server 205, dispatcher 226 may synchronize access to theservices based on a time period for the license and the time at whichthe license was acquired.

Information maintained, processed, and transferred may be stored indatabase 228. Database 228 may be configured as a distributed databasewithin wireless server 205. Database 228 may be queried and operatedusing structured query language (SQL). Other query and store mechanismsmay be implemented. Database 228 may include information stored inmemory external to wireless server 205 that is accessible when applyingSQL. Database 228 may include information associated with users ofmobile wireless clients 205 including a user identification for eachmobile wireless client. Each user identification may be correlated to awireless service account of the user. Database 228 may be structuredsuch that tables include a correspondence between informational contentand folders associated with the content, a privacy status for theinformational content, and a correspondence between the privacy statusand authorized users of the content. The informational content mayinclude, but is not limited to, calendar data, an address book, amessage board, a task monitor, photograph data, music data, video data,text data, user settings, preferences, usage data, or combinationsthereof.

MDS 230 may operate with share agent 207 to control dissemination ofinformation from database 228 on a shared basis responsive to adetermination of a privacy state of the information. The information mayinclude content of one or more of an interactive calendar, an addressbook, a message board, a task monitor, or other informational content.MDS 230 may include a resource agent configured to make informationalcontent that is collected from sources external to the system availableto mobile wireless clients 210. In an embodiment, MDS 230 may operatewith a video agent configured to access a video programming sourceexternal to wireless server 205 and to make available video content fromthe video programming source to each of mobile wireless clients 210 thatare authorized to access the video content. The video content may berouted through wireless server 205. Wireless server 205 may include afolder associated with the storage of the video content in memoryaccessible by wireless server 205. Alternatively, wireless server 205may set up a path for direct transfer of the video content from thevideo programming source to each authorized mobile wireless clients 210.Wireless server 205 may include an interface to access the videoprogramming source via a wired network, a fiber network, and a wirelessnetwork.

MDS 230 may coordinate retrieval and display of information content withattachment service 232. Attachment service 232 may manage a browserinternal to wireless server 205 to browser media files stored on thewireless server. The browser may be controlled through a user interfaceincorporated in wireless service 205 or under direction of a browser inone of the mobile wireless clients 210. The browser can be used toselect a media file by a user of the wireless server 205 or one of themobile wireless clients 210. A transfer agent may used to send aselected media file to the mobile wireless client corresponding to thebrowse activity. The transfer may be performed in responsive toreception of a selection indicator from the associated mobile wirelessclient. When conducting the browsing activity on behave of a mobilewireless client, wireless server 205 may provide to the associatedmobile wireless client a representation of each of the media filesaccessed in the browse activity to provide a basis for the selection ofone or more of the media files. The representation of each of the mediafiles may be implemented as a thumbnail of each of the media files.

Policy service 234 may be configured as a flow control agent responsiveto a communication policy to limit the flow of information with each ofmobile wireless clients 210. Such an agent may be referred to as aserver policy agent, SPA. The communication policy includes a set ofrules to regulate use of voice communication services on the pluralityof mobile wireless clients. The communication policies may also includeoperational instructions to regulate use of a network external to thesystem. For example, the communication policy may regulate the flow ofinformation from each of mobile wireless clients 210 to entities on theInternet. Such communication policies may be arranged as a set ofpolicies, where a policy in the set may be applied to one or more of themobile wireless clients 210. The policies may regulate flow of e-mailmessages, instant messaging communications, page messages, textcommunications, and/or telephonic calls.

Synchronization service 236 includes a sync engine to automatically copyinformation to each of mobile wireless clients 210 authorized to accessthe information. In an embodiment, the information can be automaticallytransferred upon the allocation of the information to a shared foldercontrolled by database 228. The shared folder may be categorization byits type of content and by the identification of entities that areallowed to access the content. The authorized entities may be one ormore of mobile wireless clients 210 and may optionally include otherauthorized entities. In an embodiment, wireless server 205 is operableto automatically provide data, via synchronization service 236, to awireless server external to the system upon the data being transferredto shared folder, where the identified shared folder is correlated to auser identification associated with at least one of mobile wirelessclients 210. The data may include, but is not limited to personalcalendar data, photograph data, music data, video data, text data, orcombinations thereof.

Messaging agent 238 includes an e-mail agent to support e-mail servicesfor mobile wireless clients 210 correlated to the user identifications.The e-mail services include coordinating the sending and receiving ofe-mail from each e-mail domain corresponding to the useridentifications. With wireless server 205 configuration in agroup-oriented arrangement, all emails associated with mobile wirelessclients 210 may be controlled using messaging agent 238. Operation ofmessaging agent 238 may be coordinated with e-mail proxy service 240 tocollect e-mails from group 241 of mail domains external to the wirelessserver 205, where each collected e-mail has an addressee correspondingto a user identification that is one of the group users of wirelessserver 205. E-mails may be collected using protocols under which thehost e-mail domains operate. Such protocols may be standard protocols orproprietary protocols. Proprietary protocols may be used by privatee-mail domains. Messaging agent 238 and/or e-mail proxy 240 may beconfigured to route an e-mail message corresponding to one or more ofmobile wireless clients without processing through e-mail domainsidentified in the e-mail message. After routing the e-mail to thecorresponding mobile wireless clients, the e-mail message may beprocessed through the identified one or more e-mail domains. Theprocessing may be logged such that activity from the e-mail domainregarding the pre-processed e-mail message can be ignored.

In an embodiment, wireless server 205 may coordinate back-up procedureswith one or more of mobile wireless clients 210. Wireless server 205 canstore configuration data within memory internal to wireless server 205,where the configuration data provides information to configure and/oroperate wireless server 205. To provide a back-up to restoreconfiguration of wireless server 205, wireless server 205 canautomatically provide the configuration data to one or more of mobilewireless clients 210. With the configuration data stored on more thanone of mobile wireless clients 210, a reconfiguration policy may be usedto restore the configuration to wireless server 210. The reconfigurationpolicy may address various features for supplying wireless server 210with its configuration data, which may include a sequencing procedure toprovide the configuration data and/or a hierarchy identifying which ofmobile wireless clients 210 controls the re-supplying of configurationdata. The mobile wireless client 210 operating as a back-up for wirelessserver 205 may be a hand-held mobile wireless client or a clientarranged as a wireless portable computer. The back-up procedure may becorrelated to the user identification of the mobile wireless client thatspecifies that the mobile wireless client belongs to the share group ofwireless server 205. In an embodiment, an external server may be used tostore the configuration data, where the external server is correlated toone or more of the share group of wireless server 205. For a system inwhich wireless server is incorporated as a segment of the system,configuration data for the system, in addition to configuration data ofwireless server 205, may be automatically stored in the share group ofwireless server 205 or an external system correlated to at least oneclient in the share group of wireless server 205.

In an embodiment, a machine-readable medium stores instructions, which,when performed by a machine, cause the machine to operate as a wirelessserver. As a wireless server, the instructions cause the machine tocommunicate with a plurality of mobile wireless clients, to manageinformation in a database for the wireless server including storinginformation associated with users of the mobile wireless clients, and tocontrol dissemination of information from the database on a shared basisresponsive to a determination of a privacy state of the information. Theinformation associated with the users may include a unique useridentification for each mobile wireless client. With the uniqueidentification established only in the wireless server and eachcorresponding mobile wireless client, the wireless server and the mobilewireless clients define a trusted share group. In an embodiment, themanaged information may include content of one or more of an interactivecalendar, an address book, a message board, a task monitor, photographdata, music data, video data, text data, or combinations thereof.

In an embodiment, the instructions to operate as a wireless server mayinclude one or more instructions to control communication to a mobilewireless client of a share group. The control of communication caninclude controlling the format of the communication, allowingcommunications in a format selected from an e-mail message, an instantmessaging communication, a page message, a text communication, or atelephonic call. In an embodiment, the instructions to operate as awireless server may include one or more instructions to control policiesgoverning the flow of information from the members of the share group.

In an embodiment, instructions for operating as a wireless serverinclude instructions to collect, in the wireless server, e-mails fromone or more mail domains external to the wireless server, and to supporte-mail services of the mobile wireless clients correlated to useridentifications each collected e-mail corresponding to a useridentification. The instructions may include one or more instructions toroute an e-mail message between the one or more mobile wireless clientswithout processing through e-mail domains identified in the e-mailmessage.

In an embodiment, instructions for operating as a wireless server mayinclude one or more instructions to make informational content,collected from sources external to the system, available to the mobilewireless clients. To make information available to the mobile wireless,one or more instructions provide for the information to be automaticallycopied from the wireless server to each mobile wireless clientauthorized to access the information. The type of information accessibleby a mobile wireless client may be provided by one or more instructionsto send, to the mobile wireless client, a representation of each mediafile stored on the wireless server for which the mobile wireless clientis authorized to access. The representation may be made by use ofthumbnails of each media file. In an embodiment, instructions to operatethe wireless server may include one or more instructions to access avideo programming source external to the system and to make availablevideo content from the video programming source to each mobile wirelessclient authorized to access the video content. The video content may berouted through the machine on which the wireless server instructionsreside. In an embodiment, instructions to operate the wireless servermay include one or more instructions to automatically provide data in anidentified shared folder associated with the wireless server to anexternal server. The identified shared folder may be correlated to auser identification associated with at least one of the mobile wirelessclients.

In an embodiment, the instructions to operate as a wireless server mayinclude one or more instructions to store configuration data specifyinga configuration of the wireless server and to automatically provide theconfiguration data to an external wireless device based on occurrence ofa specified event. The external wireless device correlated to a useridentification associated with at least one of the mobile wirelessclients. One or more instructions may provide for the retrieval of theconfiguration data from the appropriate mobile wireless client. Inaddition, various functions for a wireless server as described hereinwith respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 may be implemented as instructions on amachine readable medium. The various instructions may includeestablishing secure communications and secure sharing in which thewireless server uses a secure form of identification for each mobilewireless client.

FIG. 2B depicts an embodiment of a wireless architecture in which arelationship between mobile wireless clients and multiple wirelessservers is illustrated. Wireless server 205-1 provides wirelessservices, similar to those services discussed with respect to wirelessserver 205 of FIG. 2A, to the group of mobile wireless clients 210-1,210-2 . . . 210-N as a primary wireless server for the group. Members ofthe group may individually belong to another group associated withanother wireless server, in which such a wireless server is secondarywireless server. For example, wireless servers 205-2, 205-3, and 205-4are configured to groups 207, 208, and 209, respectively. Group 207includes mobile wireless clients 211-1, 211-2, and 211-3. Group 208includes mobile wireless clients 212-1, 212-2, 212-3, and 212-4. Group209 includes mobile wireless clients 213-1 and 213-2. Mobile wirelessclient 210-N may also belong to group 207 in which case wireless server205-2 is a secondary wireless server for mobile wireless client 210-N.Mobile wireless client 210-2 may also belong to group 208 in which casewireless server 205-3 is a secondary wireless server for mobile wirelessclient 210-2. Mobile wireless client 210-1 may also belong to group 209in which case wireless server 205-4 is a secondary wireless server formobile wireless client 210-1. In an embodiment, a mobile wireless clientis assigned to a primary wireless server as a group member and isassigned, as a group member, to multiple secondary wireless servers.

In an embodiment, the functioning of a mobile wireless client with aprimary wireless server and with one or more secondary wireless serverscan be controlled by the policies of the wireless servers, where thepolicies of the primary wireless server dominate the policies of thesecondary wireless servers. The assignment of a primary wireless servermay include a negotiation in which the user of the mobile wirelessclient agrees to make a specific wireless server its primary wirelessserver in return for assignment to the group of the specific wirelessserver. Such negotiation may result in termination of some servicefeatures provided by the wireless servers upon the identification ofthese wireless servers as being secondary. Due to conflicts betweenwireless servers, a mobile wireless client may be limited in the numberof secondary wireless server groups to which it belongs.

FIG. 3 illustrates features of an embodiment of a mobile wireless device310, also called herein a user equipment or UE, operable with more thanone server or registrable with more than one network provider, or acombination of servers and providers. A UE that can be registered withmore than one server or network provider can be called a multiple-modewireless device, a multiple-mode wireless client, and/or a multiple-modeUE. Alternatively, a UE that has the ability to be registered with, andmay be simultaneously connected to, multiple servers, server networks,and/or providers may also be called a multi-register or multi-connectUE.

Mobile wireless device 310 may be used as a client in architectures asdepicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. Mobile wireless device 310 includes acontroller 322, a memory 328 communicatively coupled to controller 322,and a management system 320 operable with controller 322. Memory 328 mayinclude a secure digital (SD) card. Memory 328 may be directly coupledto controller 322 and coupled by an internal communication bus.Controller 322 may be realized as one or more processors. Managementsystem 320 is configured to manage mobile wireless device 310 operableas a multiple-mode wireless client with respect to each of a pluralityof wireless servers. Mobile wireless device 310 is configured to shareinformation among the wireless servers, where the sharing of informationis based on user identifications common to the mobile wireless deviceand the plurality of wireless servers. The shared information mayinclude user-generated data as well as information acquired from sourcesother than the mobile wireless device 310 and the wireless servers. Inan embodiment, mobile wireless device 310 may be a member of a sharegroup of each of the wireless servers.

Mobile wireless device 310 may be arranged as a simple communicationdevice or a communication device with a significant number of featuresbeyond voice communication. With controller 322, memory 328, andmanagement system 320 providing an underlying foundation, mobilewireless device 310 may include a speaker 330, a display 331, a keyboard333, presentation controls 335, a power interface 337, or combinationsthereof. Presentation controls 335 may include controls to direct visualpresentations on display, controls to adjust the volume for speaker 330,and controls operable by a user to enhance the audio, visual use, andmanagement of the mobile wireless device 310. Mobile wireless device 310may include a camera 339, an ear interface 341 for earphones, a USBinterface 343, other interfaces 345, or other user accessible options. Agraphical user interface for display 331 may provide for the display oficons 337 to provide a shorthand presentation to the user. Mobilewireless device 310 may include other capabilities not directly visualto a user such as Bluetooth capabilities, access to a Wi-Fi network, andvarious other capabilities. Mobile wireless device 310 may be structuredas a hand-held mobile wireless device, as a portable wireless computer,or as a combination of both.

In an embodiment, mobile wireless device 310 is configured as a memberof a share group with at least one wireless server. Management system320 operates to manage and regulate activity of mobile wireless device310 with the share group. Management system 320 may include an e-mailagent 321, a policy agent 323, a sync agent 325, a browse agent 327, anda positioning system 329. E-mail agent 321 manages the receiving andsending of e-mails for mobile wireless device and is configured tomanage its e-mail through at least one of the wireless servers. Thetransfer of e-mails via one of the wireless servers may be conductedusing a secure channel with the wireless server. The secure channel maybe correlated to a unique identifier of the mobile wireless device 310that is also maintained by the wireless server defining a grouprelationship between the two entities.

Policy agent 323 controls the flow of information and conduct ofinteraction with wireless servers based on a set or rules orinstructions. Such an agent in the mobile wireless device may bereferred to as a UE policy agent, UEPA. Though mobile wireless device310 may be registered in an information and control sharing mode withone or more wireless servers, mobile wireless device 310 and each ofthese wireless servers have their own individual policy agents. A UEPAis a separate entity from a SPA. In an embodiment, the policy forinformation flow in mobile wireless device 310 may be based onidentification of a wireless server as being part of a share group towhich mobile wireless device 310 is a member. If mobile wireless device310 is a client to multiple wireless servers to which it is in a sharegroup with each wireless server, policy agent 323 determines thecontrolling instructions for operating among and individually with themultiple wireless servers. Various criteria may be applied by policyagent 323. One set of criteria may depend on the wireless service towhich the user of mobile wireless device 310 subscribes. Another set ofcriteria may depend on the group relationship of each of the wirelessservers. A share relationship with a wireless server may involveconfidential information that may limit the manner in which mobilewireless device 310 operates on and controls the flow of data among theshare groups to which it belongs. Policy agent 323 may include a policyto select one of the wireless servers as a dominant wireless server withrespect to the other wireless servers. With a dominant or primarywireless server identified, the set of rules may be prioritizedaccording to the selection of dominant wireless server.

Positioning system 329 may be used in conjunction with policy agent 323to establish a policy to use based on relative position of mobilewireless device 310, if there no overriding rule to select a primarywireless server. Positioning system 329 can be used to determine aposition of the mobile wireless device with respect to each of thewireless servers. Based on this relative position, a wireless serverdeemed to be closest to mobile wireless device 310 may be selected asthe primary wireless server. Positioning system 329 may include use of aglobal positioning system (GPS) within mobile wireless device 310. In anembodiment, management system 325 may use positioning system 329 todetermine that mobile wireless device 310 is within a local area networkof only one of the wireless servers. The local area network may be aWi-Fi network. Determination of the closest wireless server in a localarea network such as a Wi-Fi network may use a determination of signalstrength associated with each of the wireless servers. In an embodiment,a secure control channel from the mobile wireless device 310 to awireless server may be used to determine if the mobile wireless deviceis within a Wi-Fi network associated with the wireless server.

Sync agent 325 may be used to automatically interact with a wirelessserver identified as being a member of a share group for mobile wirelessdevice 310. Upon receiving a communication from the wireless server thatthe wireless server has information associated with an identifiercorrelated to the mobile wireless device 310, sync agent 325 canautomatically store the information in memory 328 upon download from thewireless server. Sync agent 325 may also update a table to identify thedownloaded information relative to an assigned folder, the source of theinformation, and/or a privacy status of the information. Sync agent 325may also upload information to a wireless server based on the relativestatus of the wireless server with respect to the information. With theassignment of the information to a folder, sync agent 325 agentautomatically uploads the information wireless servers identified inmobile wireless device 310 as authorized to automatically receive theinformation. The transfer from mobile wireless device 310 to one or morewireless servers in response to the sync agent 325 may be conducted overa secure channel established by mobile wireless device 310. Theinformation that may be automatically includes, but is not limited to,personal calendar content, photographic content, music content, videocontent, text content, or combinations thereof.

Browse agent 327 provides a capability to browse folders within mobilewireless device 310 to select files within mobile wireless device 310 toview content on display 331 or hear content via speaker 330 or otherappropriate hearing device. Browse agent 327 may provide a capability tobrowse folders within wireless servers to which mobile wireless device310 is in a sharing relationship. Browse agent 327 may control thegeneration of commands from mobile wireless device 310 to a wirelessserver to browse folders on the wireless server to which mobile wirelessdevice 310 is authorized access. Such commands include selection ofinformational content to be downloaded from the wireless server tomobile wireless device 310. In an embodiment, mobile wireless device 310receives thumbnail content representative of the files being browsed inthe wireless server. Downloading information content from the wirelessserver to mobile wireless device 310 may be conducted in response toselection of the thumbnail via a graphical user interface on mobilewireless device 310. The downloaded informational content may includepersonal calendar data, photograph data, music data, video data, textdata, or combinations thereof. Sync agent 325 may be used in conjunctionwith to transfer a file from the wireless server to mobile wirelessdevice 310 in response to the selection activity of browse agent 327.The transfer of informational content from a wireless server to mobilewireless device 310 may be conducted over a secure channel establishedby mobile wireless device 310.

In an embodiment, mobile wireless device 310 may operate in conjunctionwith a wireless server to act as a backup for the wireless server.Memory 328 may be used to store configuration data for the wirelessserver. On a schedule basis or on an event driven basis, mobile wirelessdevice 310 receives configuration data from the wireless server. Theconfiguration data can be received as data which overwrites theconfiguration data in memory 328. The configuration data can be receivedas a delta or change of configuration in which the changed data whichoverwrites the corresponding portion of configuration data in memory328. Upon request by the wireless server, the configuration data may beuploaded to the wireless server.

In an embodiment, a machine-readable medium stores instructions, which,when performed by a mobile wireless device, cause the mobile wirelessdevice to operate as a client of multiple wireless servers. The mobilewireless device may be a hand-held wireless device. The mobile wirelessdevice may be a portable wireless computer. In an embodiment, theinstructions cause the mobile wireless device to operate as amultiple-mode wireless client to each of the wireless servers and toshare information with the wireless servers. The information can beshared based on a user identification common to the mobile wirelessdevice and the wireless server. The instructions may effectivelyconfigure the mobile wireless device in multiple share groups, one foreach wireless server in a share relationship with the mobile wirelessdevice. User identification information may be used on to establishsecure communication and a secured sharing between the mobile wirelessdevice and a wireless server on a share group arrangement. The sharedinformation may include user-generated data.

In an embodiment, instructions to operate the mobile wireless device asa multiple-mode wireless client may include instructions to regulatefunctions of the mobile wireless according to a stored policy. Thepolicy may depend on which of the wireless servers is taken to be theprimary or dominant wireless server with respect to the other wirelessservers. In an embodiment, the primary wireless server may be selectedthrough application of instructions to determine the position of themobile wireless device with respect to the other wireless servers. Theinstructions for determining positioning may be employed with a GPSsystem within the mobile wireless device. The instructions may directthe determination that the mobile wireless device is within a local areanetwork of one of the wireless servers. The local area network may be aWi-Fi network. One or more instructions may be employed to use a securecontrol channel to determine if the mobile wireless device is within theWi-Fi network.

In an embodiment, instructions to operate the mobile wireless device asa multiple-mode wireless client may include instructions to control theflow of information. The instructions for regulating information flowmay include, but are not limited to, instructions to manage receptionand transmission of e-mails through at least one wireless server in ashare group with the mobile wireless device, to share calendar contentassociated with the user identification, to apply a browser in themobile wireless device to browse files on a wireless server in a sharegroup with the mobile wireless device, to sync the flow of informationalcontent into the mobile wireless from a wireless server in a share groupwith the mobile wireless device, to sync the flow of informationalcontent from the mobile wireless to a wireless server in a share groupwith the mobile wireless device. The informational content may include,but is not limited to, calendar data, photograph data, music data, videodata, text data, or combinations thereof.

In an embodiment, instructions to operate the mobile wireless device asa multiple-mode wireless client may include instructions to work in aback-up procedure in conjunction with one of more of the wirelessservers. The instructions may direct the mobile wireless toautomatically store configuration data from a wireless server and a loga record of the data storage and its associated wireless server. Theconfiguration data may provide information to a system to establish thesystem as a wireless server. The instructions may direct the mobilewireless device to transmit the configuration data to the appropriatewireless server upon request by the wireless server.

In addition, various functions for a mobile wireless device as describedherein with respect to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 may be implemented asinstructions on a machine readable medium in the mobile wireless device.The various instructions may include establishing secure communicationsand secure sharing with wireless servers using a secure form ofidentification associated with the mobile wireless device being indifferent share groups with the wireless servers.

FIG. 4 shows features of an embodiment of a method to establish wirelessserver capabilities on an electronic system to provide a staging area ofwireless communication on the electronic system. At 410, storage of dataon a mobile wireless device is controlled. The data may includeinstructions to install a software program on an electronic system toprovide the electronic system with the functionality of a wirelessserver. The install instructions may include instructions to install thesoftware in stages based on responses received from the electronicsystem during sequencing of the installation. The install instructionsmay be organized with instructions to initiate the installation from themobile wireless device with completion of the installation performedover a network such as the Internet. The install instructions may beorganized with instructions to initiate the installation from the mobilewireless device with completion of the installation performed bydownloading at least a minimal portion of the program to operate theelectronic system as a wireless server. The mobile wireless device mayprovide a complete version of the wireless service software in adownload process. The mobile wireless device may be provisioned with oneor more of the installation procedure options at factory manufacture orother process points prior to providing the mobile wireless devicecommercially. The mobile wireless device provisioned with the wirelessserver installation capabilities may be a hand-held wireless device. Themobile wireless device provisioned with the wireless server installationcapabilities may be a portable wireless device.

At 420, at least a portion of the data from the wireless mobile deviceis downloaded to the electronic system. The download to establish thewireless server functionality may begin with the connection of themobile wireless device to the electronic system using a physicalcoupling medium connectable to an interface on the mobile wirelessdevice and connectable to a compatible interface on the electronicsystem. The interfaces on the mobile wireless device and the electronicsystem may both be USB interfaces. Other mediums may be used tophysically connect the mobile wireless device and the electronic systemincluding, but not limited to, a fiber optic medium and other cablemedia. The compatibility of interfaces of the electronic system and themobile wireless device may be realized with a converter that providescoupling of two different types of interfaces. The directing of theinstallation may be provided using a graphical user interface on adisplay of the mobile wireless device. The directing of the installationmay be provided using a graphical user interface on a display of theelectronic system. The directing of the installation may be providedusing a graphical user interface on a display of the electronic systemafter initial install execution is directed from a graphical userinterface on a display of the mobile wireless device.

After initial transfer of instructions, a sequence of instructions isprovided on a display of the electronic system to direct a user throughthe installation process. The sequencing may be conducted using a wizardinstaller. In an embodiment, the installment is provided in an automaticfashion in which there is limited input by the user. The user may beasked to accept or decline a licensing agreement. A responserepresenting a decline may result in termination of the installation ofthe wireless server software. The termination may result in atermination of a further download of the software. If the software hasbeen downloaded, the termination may result in terminating theinstallation of the software as an executable entity. Installinstructions may include provisions to protect the downloaded softwarefrom being executably installed without the transmission of acceptanceof the licensing agreement. A response representing an acceptanceresults in further processing of the installation of the wireless serversoftware. The further processing may include downloading further datafrom the mobile wireless device and completing the installation. Thefurther processing may include downloading further data from theInternet, or equivalent network, and completing the installation.Additional user supplied information collected in the installationprocedure may include name, e-mail address, and country. The user may bequeried to supply one's secure remote password (SRP) key. Alternatively,one or more of these personal data items may be automatically downloadedfrom the wireless mobile device in the installation process.

With the wireless server being installed on the electronic system toserve as a group coordinator for the wireless mobile device thatinitiated the install process, the SRP key can be automaticallydownloaded from its associated mobile wireless device. Alternatively,the SRP key can be assessed in a secure process with another system. Thedownloading of mobile wireless device, user, and security informationmay be conducted with the physical connection of the mobile wirelessdevice and the electronic system. The downloaded SRP may be controlledby instructions in the mobile wireless device or with instructionsdownloaded from the mobile wireless device to provide interactiveprocessing of the SRP download and storage on the electronic device. Inaddition, the name, e-mail address, and country information may also beautomatically installed from the associated mobile wireless device. Theaddition of other mobile wireless devices, to the group of the installedwireless server and initiating mobile wireless, to form a larger trustedshare group may be conducted and directed through the installed wirelessserver. Wi-Fi capability of the installed wireless server may be used toadd mobile wireless devices to the share group to the installed wirelessserver.

Updates to the wireless server may be automatically performed throughnetwork connections of the electronic system that incorporates theinstalled wireless server or through the installing mobile wirelessdevice or other authorized mobile wireless device of a share group ofthe wireless server. Updates may be provided on the wireless server suchthat a user may direct when the updates occur including allowingautomatic updates. Periodic re-licensing may be implemented in which adecline of the license is followed by automatic shutdown of the wirelessserver. In addition, refusal of automatic updating of the wirelessserver may be followed by automatic shutdown of the wireless server. Theshutdown event may be based on whether the automatic updates are of acritical nature above some threshold level.

The installed software program includes a set of machine executableexecutions operable for storage on the electronic system such that acontroller of the electronic system can execute the instructions tooperate the electronic system as a wireless server in addition to thefunctions operable by the electronic system. The controller on theelectronic system may be realized as one or more processors. Theinstalled wireless server may include the configuration andfunctionality of the wireless servers discussed with respect to FIGS.1-3. The installing wireless mobile device may include the configurationand functionality of the mobile wireless device discussed with respectto FIG. 3. The installed wireless service may be arranged as a groupcoordinator that provides a staging area for the sharing of informationwith mobile wireless devices whose SRP information stored in thewireless server defines the mobile wireless device as a trusted groupmember. The operable agents of the wireless server may include all thefunctionality of the agents and services discussed with respect to FIG.2, though the agents may be combined or structured in differentarrangements of instructions.

FIG. 5 shows features of an embodiment of a method for synchronizing(syncing) wireless entities based on a share basis. Information acquiredin wireless entities may be synced among the wireless entities based ona privacy status and verification of identities corresponding to theprivacy status. The information undergoing a sync process includes, butis not limited to, personal calendar data, photograph data, music data,video data, messaging data, and combinations thereof. The wirelessentities may include a wireless server and a set of mobile wirelessclients of the wireless server that together form a share group. In anembodiment, a mobile wireless client of the group is configured tobrowse files in the wireless server. In an embodiment, the wirelessserver is configured to provide views of its file content to a mobilewireless client of the group authorized to view the file content of thewireless server.

At 510, a privacy status of information acquired, and at least partiallystored, is determined. The privacy status may be determined beforeand/or during the partial storage of the information. In an embodiment,information is acquired in a wireless server that is a member of a sharegroup including one or more wireless mobile devices that are wirelessclients of the wireless server. The wireless server initials and directsa sync process for the acquired information. Using a graphical userinterface, a user of the wireless server can assign attributes to theacquired information that generate a privacy status for the information.The information can be flagged to be private to the wireless server. Theinformation can be flagged to be private to a user correlated to one ofthe wireless mobile devices of the group. The information can be flaggedto be shared by several users but not all of the users correlated to thegroup, which is a form of a limited private status, where each of theseveral users is correlated to one of the wireless mobile devices of thegroup. The information can be flagged to be shared by all members of thegroup, where each of the members is correlated to one of the wirelessmobile devices of the group. The information can be flagged to be sharedby all members of the group and by entities external to the group. Thecorrelation to a wireless mobile device of the group may be realized asa mapping in the wireless server of a SRP key and user name to awireless mobile device. The flagging of attributes by the wirelessserver may be conducted by assigning the information to a folder andassociating, in one or more tables, the identity of the information,privacy indicators, and names or other ids of users having the privacystatus. Other procedures may be used to provide a privacy status ofinformation with mobile wireless devices. Alternatively, the informationmay have a predetermined privacy status with identified authorized userssuch that on reception of the information the wireless serverautomatically assigns the information to its predetermined folder. Thepredetermined privacy status may be based on the type of information ora specific identity of the information acquired.

In an embodiment, information is acquired in a mobile wireless devicethat is a member of a share group including a wireless server. Themobile wireless device may initiate and direct a sync process for theacquired information. The share group may include other mobile wirelessdevices. Using a graphical user interface on the mobile wireless device,a user of the mobile wireless device can assign attributes to theacquired information that generate a privacy status for the information.The information can be flagged to be private to a user correlated to thewireless mobile device acquiring the information. The information can beflagged to be shared by several users but not all of the users of thegroup, which is a form of a limited private status, where each of theseveral users is correlated to one of the wireless mobile devices of thegroup. The information can be flagged to be shared by all members of thegroup, each of the members correlated to one of the wireless mobiledevices of the group. The information can be flagged to be shared by allmembers of the group and by entities external to the group. Thecorrelation to a wireless mobile device of the group may be realized byviewing a list of the group members stored on the mobile wireless devicethat acquires the information or viewing a list of the group membersaccessible from the wireless server. The flagging of attributes by themobile wireless device may be conducted by assigning the information toa folder and associating, in one or more tables, the identity of theinformation, privacy indicators, and names or other ids of users havingthe privacy status. Other procedures may be used to provide a privacystatus of information with other mobile wireless devices of the group.Alternatively, the information may have a predetermined privacy statuswith identified authorized users such that on reception of theinformation the mobile wireless device automatically assigns theinformation to its predetermined folder. The predetermined privacystatus may be based on the type of information or a specific identity ofthe information acquired. In an embodiment, a mobile wireless device mayacquire informational content and a wireless server, which shares agroup status with the mobile wireless device, may establish the privacystatus for the informational content.

At 520 data associated with the information is synced with wirelessentities based on the privacy status and verification of identitiescorresponding to the privacy status. In an embodiment, when informationacquired in a wireless server is moved to a sync folder, the wirelessserver automatically downloads the information to the mobile wirelessdevices that are identified in tables as being authorized toautomatically receive the information. A sync folder is a folder whosecontents are designated to undergo a sync process. These sync tablesprovide the privacy status and verification of the identities forautomatic downloading. Sync folders may be created for each group membersuch that received information associated with the individual foldersmay be automatically downloaded to the associated group member. Thedownload by the wireless server may be conducted based on the status ofstorage facilities on the target mobile wireless device. If the mobilewireless device does not have the appropriate storage medium, such as aSD card or other storage medium, or if the capacity of the storagemedium of the mobile wireless device is insufficient, the download isnot conducted and the mobile wireless device is notified of the lack ofcapacity.

A capacity limit may be set in the wireless server such that, if thesize of the information to be downloaded is larger than the capacitylimit, the wireless server will not send the information on a wirelesschannel. For file content over the capacity limit, the automaticdownload can be performed when the wireless server determines that aphysical connection, such as a USB connection, has been established orthat the mobile wireless device has accessed a Wi-Fi network of thewireless server. If such USB or Wi-Fi transport is lost during atransmission transaction, the transaction can be halted and restartedonce the transport is reestablished. In addition, syncing of content canbe regulated according to other status in the mobile wireless device orin the wireless server. For example, a content sync may be suspended ifthe battery capacity falls below a specified amount. In an embodiment,content sync may be suspended if the battery life falls below 20% of thefull amount and may be resumed if the battery life exceeds 25% of thefull amount.

The wireless server can download the information to a mobile wirelessdevice via a Wi-Fi capability, a wired cable, a carrier-based network,or combinations thereof. A mobile wireless device can display the syncprocess from the wireless server on its screen as the sync process bythe wireless server is being conducted. A mobile wireless devicereceiving the information may assign the information to one of itsfolder, where the folder may be a sync folder on the mobile wirelessdevice. The mobile wireless device may store informational contentreceived, in a sync process from a wireless server, in a secure digitalmemory in the mobile wireless device.

In an embodiment, a wireless server in a sync process with a mobilewireless device of its share group downloads a sync indicator to themobile wireless device. The sync indicator represents that the wirelessserver has acquired information with the mobile wireless deviceidentified as a share member. The identified information can bedownloaded to the mobile wireless server at a later date. The wirelessservice may automatically download the indicator in response to theinformation being moved into a folder accessible by the wireless server.The folder may reside on a system external to the system in which thewireless server resides, where the wireless server is authorized to readthe information from the external storage medium.

In an embodiment, information acquired in a mobile wireless device canbe moved to a wireless server in a share group to which the mobilewireless device is a member. The mobile wireless device can beconfigured such that when information acquired in mobile wireless deviceis moved to a sync folder in the mobile wireless device, the mobilewireless device automatically uploads the information to the wirelessserver. Content in the mobile wireless device can be uploaded to andstored on the wireless server to provide a back-up of the content. Thecontent is not limited to a particular type of content, but may be anycontent on the mobile wireless device. The mobile wireless device canupload the information to the wireless server via a Wi-Fi capability, awired cable, a carrier-based network, or combinations thereof. In anembodiment, a mobile wireless device can monitor its operational statusand adjust sync processing with a wireless server based on determinedthe status. For example, content syncing may be suspended if the batterycapacity of the mobile wireless device falls below a specified amount.In an embodiment, content syncing may be suspended if the battery lifefalls below 20% of the full amount and may be resumed if the batterylife exceeds 25% of the full amount.

FIG. 6 shows features of an embodiment of a method to browse a wirelessserver from a mobile wireless device. At 610, a browser in a mobilewireless device is initiated to control browsing of a file directory ofa wireless server. The mobile wireless and the wireless server belong toa common share group. A user of the mobile wireless device may view thefiles in the file directory of the wireless server through use of agraphical user interface of the mobile wireless device. At 620, a signalis generated to the wireless server to select a file in the filedirectory of the wireless server. The mobile wireless device maygenerate a signal to the wireless server to indicate that the file is tobe downloaded to memory in the mobile wireless device, that the file isto be sent as an e-mail attachment, or that the file is to be viewedusing an attachment server of the wireless server. The mobile wirelessdevice may browse informational content that includes, but is notlimited to, personal calendar content, photograph content, musiccontent, video content, messaging content, and combinations thereof. Thebrowsing activity may include browsing files having a format indicatorselected from, but not limited to, doc, xls, pdf, ppt, jpg, png, bmp,gif, mp3, and wav.

FIG. 7 shows features of an embodiment of a method to select and providecontent from a wireless server to a mobile wireless device based oncommands from the mobile wireless device. At 710, a signal is receivedfrom a mobile wireless device, where the signal is a browser signal tobrowse a directory of a wireless server. The mobile wireless and thewireless server belong to a common share group. At 720, files in thedirectory are browsed in response to browse commands from the mobilewireless device. The browse commands may include a select command toselect a file for use by the mobile wireless device.

At 730, content of a file selected from the directory is provided to themobile wireless device. The selected file may be sent from the wirelessserver to the mobile wireless device by downloading the file as data tobe stored on the mobile wireless device, by sending the file as ane-mail attachment, or by providing viewing of the file using anattachment server of the wireless server. The browsed informationalcontent may include, but is not limited to, personal calendar content,photograph content, music content, video content, messaging content, andcombinations thereof. The browsed files may have a format indicatorselected from, but not limited to, doc, xls, pdf, ppt, jpg, png, bmp,gif, mp3, and wav.

FIG. 8A shows features of an embodiment of method including a mobilewireless device accessing and controlling an application executable on awireless server. In various embodiments, the application may bedifferent from an application to maintain and control a wirelesscommunication link between the mobile wireless device and the wirelessserver. At 810, an application executable on a wireless server isaccessed from a mobile wireless device. The mobile wireless device hasan authorization to access the application as a member of the sharegroup of the wireless server. The authorization may be correlated to theSRP key of the mobile wireless device that is also stored on thewireless server. Various types of applications in the wireless servermay be accessed by the mobile wireless device. For example, a datamanipulation application that performs complex computations (“datacrunching”) that uses a large amount of memory may be accessed to run ina server rather than the mobile wireless device. The application may bereside in the wireless server. In an embodiment, the application isvirtually resident on the wireless server. The virtual residency occurswith the application stored in another server that is accessible by thewireless server. In an embodiment, an application to control and/ormonitor functions of a facility is accessed. The application may controland/or monitor, for a facility, one or more of a heating management,lighting management, water management, physical security, management ofa web cam. An application to control and/or monitor functions offacilities different from the primary facility may be accessed.

In an embodiment, the mobile wireless device receives data regarding theapplication from the wireless service. The received data may be used todisplay a graphical user interface on the mobile wireless device, wherethe graphical user interface is operable to initiate commands for theapplication. Alternatively, data for a graphical user interface tocontrol and/or manage an application may be stored in the mobilewireless device. The graphical user interface of the mobile wirelessdevice may mirror the graphical user interface that the wireless serverhas to control and/or manage the application through user interaction.The graphical user interface of the mobile wireless device may have areduced set of features in common with the graphical user interface ofthe wireless server to control and/or manage the application throughuser interaction. With the initiation of commands in the mobile wirelessdevice, the underlying processing of the application, directed by thecommands, is performed on the wireless server.

At 820, a command is sent from the mobile wireless device to thewireless server to execute a feature of the application. The feature maybe different from features to maintain and control a wirelesscommunication link between the mobile wireless device and the wirelessserver. The mobile wireless device may receive a result of the executionof the feature in the wireless server. A computational result may beprovided with a complete analysis including various graphs and flowcharts. A result from a monitoring application may be provided with anoperational status of a facility including a current value of thestatus, a history of the status, and a trending analysis of the status.For an application of a video cam, the result received in the mobilewireless device may be a video of activity monitored by the video cam.For example, a video of a storage facility may be provided to monitorthe security of the storage facility. A video of a child's living areasmay allow a parent to monitor activity of the child and the careprovider of the child.

In an embodiment, a privacy status may be generated in the mobilewireless device and operatively attached to the results from executingthe application in the wireless server. The privacy status may betransmitted to the wireless server to set accessibility of the resultsrelative to other members of the share group and other entities that mayaccess the wireless server.

FIG. 8B shows features of an embodiment of method including a wirelessserver executing an application resident on the wireless server underthe control of a set of commands from a mobile wireless client. Invarious embodiments, the application may be different from anapplication to maintain and control a wireless communication linkbetween the mobile wireless device and the wireless server. The mobilewireless device and the wireless server are members of a common sharegroup. At 910, a signal is received in a wireless server from a mobilewireless client of the wireless server. The mobile wireless client isidentified in the wireless server as a member of a share group of thewireless server and an authorized user of an application accessible bythe wireless server. On receiving a signal corresponding to anapplication accessible by the wireless server, the wireless server maysend data to the mobile wireless device to display a graphical userinterface on the mobile wireless device.

At 920, an application in the wireless server is executed in response toreceiving the signal, where the execution is performed by the wirelessserver under the control of the mobile wireless client. The applicationmay be different from an application to maintain and control a wirelesscommunication link between the mobile wireless client and the wirelessserver. The application executed by the wireless server may be stored inthe wireless server or stored in an external system accessible by thewireless server. The wireless server may execute a data manipulationapplication. The wireless server may execute an application to controland/or monitor functions of a facility. The operations for the facilitythat are controlled and/or monitored may include one or more of heatingmanagement, lighting management, water management, physical security,and management. Operational parameters of a facility different from theprimary facility may be controlled and/or monitored via the execution ofthe application by the wireless server.

The result of the execution of the application may be transmitted to themobile wireless device as a simple result or as a result accompanied byvarious levels of analysis and presentation.

A privacy status may be attached to the results in the wireless server.The privacy status can be provided by mobile wireless device thatcontrols and/or directs the execution and/or processing of theapplication by the wireless server. The privacy status may be updated ina database of the wireless server relative the controlling mobilewireless client, other mobile wireless clients of the wireless serverthat are share members with the wireless server, and other entities thataccess the wireless server.

In various embodiments, the ability to run home control or homemonitoring programs may be realized using the secure connection from ahome wireless server to a UE. Various devices, such as but not limitedto cameras, baby-sound-detection equipment, other baby monitors,personal devices, personal programs, and other personal monitoringdevices can be coupled to a home-based wireless server that controlsaccess to the UE through a network such as made available by a networkprovider. Similarly, this allows for the private monitoring of smallbusinesses, including remote, secure access of inventory controlfigures, production figures, monitoring of stocking areas and warehousesfor shrinkage control, making sure off-hours personnel at publiccounters are not being threatened, and similar situations amenable tomonitoring solutions. The various devices may be configured to provideoutputs that may be monitored by the UE through the home-based wirelessserver both securely as well as without use of a third party and/orwithout making the output publicly available such as being broadcastover an internet type facility. Such an arrangement allows an individualuser of the UE and the wireless server to avoid being forced to usethird party monitoring services to obtain such personal monitoring. Inaddition, such an arrangement allows an individual user to maintainprivacy with respect to one's home, business, and personal life by notmaking the monitored output accessible over public internets. The securemonitoring of the home and/or business may be provided with the outputfrom monitoring devices being providing as encrypted data.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of an arrangement of a home-based wirelessserver 970 coupled to home personal monitoring equipment 980 with thehome-based wireless server 970 communicatively coupled with a mobilewireless client 850. The various components of home personal monitoringequipment 980 may be distributed throughout a home. Each component maybe configured to perform a different personal monitoring function. Thehome personal monitoring equipment 980 may include, but is not limitedto, cameras, baby-sound-detection equipment, other baby monitors,personal devices, personal programs, and other personal monitoringdevices. The components of home personal monitoring equipment 980 may becoupled to home wireless server via a direct connection or on a localarea network. The direct connection or the local area network may be awired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination of wired andwireless connections. The local area network may be a home Wi-Finetwork, either secure or unsecure. Home-based wireless server 970 maybe operatively coupled to UE 850 over network 860. Network 860 may beany operable connection, including the use of private local networksand/or commercial providers. Home-based wireless server 970 may also beoperatively coupled to other UEs associated with members of the home inwhich home-based wireless server 970 is located, where these other UEsare wireless clients registered with home-based wireless server 970.Home-based wireless server 970, UE 850, and the other wireless clientsof home-based wireless server 970 may be configured according to thevarious embodiments for wireless servers and multiple-mode mobilewireless devices discussed herein.

UE 850 may operate as discussed with respect to FIG. 8A in which theapplication includes control and management of home-based monitoringequipment 980. By controlling monitoring using UE 850, an individual maymonitor and control the home environment while travelling away from thehome. Over the secure channel with home-based wireless server 970locally coupled to monitoring equipment 980 located in the individual'shome, the individual may maintain private control of the monitoringsignals sent from the home.

Home-based wireless server 970 may operate as discussed with respect toFIG. 8B in which the application includes control and management ofhome-based monitoring equipment 980. Home-based wireless server 970 mayaccept control and command from UEs that are registered with home-basedwireless server 970 or a subset of registered UEs, where theregistration may include a correspondence between a given UE and thehome. Under the control of UE 850, home-based wireless server 970provides signals to monitoring equipment 980 to obtain monitoringinformation. The monitoring information may include data, audio, video,pictures or combinations thereof. Home-based wireless server 970 locallycoupled to monitoring equipment 980 located in the individual's homeprovides private control of the monitoring of the home and activities inthe home. The secure channel provides a mechanism for the informationobtained by home-based wireless server 970 to be provided to UE 850under control of UE 850 at any anytime without use of a third party,which is not registered with home-based wireless server 970, to managethe monitoring event. Similarly, FIG. 9 is equally applicable to smallbusiness applications as well as home-based applications. Thedifferences will be in what is being monitored or what remote programsare being run. For example, a small business owner may want to monitorstock inventory, small production lines, storage areas, current retailsales activity, and counter areas using the same capabilities, types ofmonitors and devices, and having the same benefits as described abovefor the home owner.

Referring now to FIG. 10A, there is illustrated an example system andmethod for using a mobile wireless client with more than one wirelessserver. According to one example embodiment, there is provided a firstwireless server 1002 communicatively operable with a plurality of mobilewireless clients such as mobile wireless client 1004. The first wirelessserver includes for example, as described herein elsewhere,configuration data associated with at least one, such as client 1004, ofthe plurality of mobile wireless clients supported by the wirelessserver 1002, and a database operable on the server and configured tostore information associated with users of the mobile wireless clientsincluding a user identification for each mobile wireless client.Wireless server 1002 further includes a program configured to controldissemination of information from the first database to one or more ofthe plurality of mobile wireless clients.

Wireless server 1002 further stores or maintains at least one policy1006 that is associated with one of the mobile wireless clients, forexample client 1004. Policy 1006 may be used to govern permissible modesof operation of the client 1004, and to establish various operatingparameters, such as what type of Internet access is permitted with thewireless client or the type or duration of telephone calls that may beplaced using the client 1004. Other uses for policy 1006 further includeallowing or disallowing users to of the mobile wireless client to enableor disable certain features of the client 1004, such as passwordprotected operation.

As illustrated in FIG. 10B, policy 1006 may include various policyinformation including but not limited to the author 1022 of the policy,an identification 1024 of any servers authorized to update or modify thepolicy 1006 or individual permissions or settings of the policy (such assettings 1026, 1028 and 1030). The policy 1006 may further, for example,authorize 1026 the wireless client 1004 to work with other wirelessservers, such as server 1010 of FIG. 10A, to support wireless e-mail orcalendaring and other server functions provided by the other server1010, as described herein. Policy 1006 may further specify one or moreother policy settings 1028 to 1030.

Wireless server 1002 further includes a policy service 1008 that allowsa user of the wireless server 1002 to prescribe a policy 1006 for one ormore mobile wireless clients, and in particular client 1004 in theexample of FIG. 10A. Service 1008 further provides that the policy 1006may be downloaded to wireless client 1004, if permitted. Suchdownloading may be directed or controlled by a policy download ormodification program 1005 on the wireless client 1004.

According to one example embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 10C, a mobilewireless client 1004 may be initially loaded 1032, for example at thefactory or after being initialized, with an “initial” policy, such as apolicy set by the factory. That policy may allow, for example, for it tobe replaced with a user-prescribed policy that is loaded 1034 on themobile wireless client 1004 for example from the first wireless server1002. This would typically be handled by the UE's UEPA. The policyloaded by the server 1002 may specify, for example, that no otherwireless server such as server 1010, may replace or modify, in whole orin part, the policy loaded by the server 1002, thereby precluding thepolicy from being changed by any server other than server 1002. Thus,any attempt 1036 to load another policy causes the mobile wirelessclient 1004 (or alternatively the server attempting to modify thepolicy) to check the policy currently loaded on the wireless client todetermine if 1038 the policy may be changed or replaced. If it may be,the new policy or changes to the policy, such as individual settings,may be made 1040. If the policy may not be changed by the serverrequesting to do so, the policy is prevented 1042 from being replaced ormodified. Accordingly, in this respect, the policy establishes that oneof the servers such as server 1002 is a primary server that controls allpolicy permissions and changes, and the other server 1010 is a secondaryserver that may not override policies set by the primary server 1002unless permitted to do so by the policy set by server 1002.

In an embodiment, wireless server 1002 includes a flag or field, storedon wireless server 1002, that indicates if the UEPA on a registered UE,such as UE 1004, can modify the policies of wireless server 1002 at UE1004. This flag or field may be referred to as a policy modify flag, or,if the context is clear, simply as a modify flag. In some embodimentsthe modify flag can be a single bit, having the values T or F (1 or 0).Alternatively, the modify flag may be more complex and be enabled toindicate under what conditions polices may be modified. One embodimentof a more complex modify flag includes the identity of other serversthat are allowed to override the policy of this server, while otherservers are not. Any combination of policies is possible, as defined bythe servers' SPAs and the UE's UEPA, but some are more probable thanothers. For example, the SPA of wireless server 1002 may have a policyof logical truth where “T”, or yes, defined to mean any UEPAconfiguration is allowed, which may be used in benign environments.Alternatively the SPA may have a policy of “F”, or no, defined to meanthat no modification of a policy may be made by the UEPA. In anembodiment, “F”, or no, may also indicate that implementation of anarbitrary UEPA configuration is not allowed.

Thus, according to one embodiment, a first wireless server 1002, such asa corporate or enterprise server, may establish a policy to be loaded ona wireless client 1004, wherein that policy may allow the client 1004 towork with other wireless servers such as server 1010 that may beestablished for the family members or other small group associated withthe user of the client 1004. The authorizations may include permissionfor the server 1004 to synchronize with other e-mail services anddomains, such as the user's private or non-business e-mail address, orprovide other services such as calendaring between the users of theserver 1010.

Each wireless server, such as wireless servers 1002 and 1010 thatoperate with UE 1004, has its own SPA, where UE 1004 is in a multipleregistered mode with wireless servers 1002 and 1010. The SPA of eachserver may have different policies for different UEs registered with theserver even though these different UEs share information. To facilitatedifferent sets of policies for different UEs, the SPA may be realized asa group of SPAs within the server with each SPA assigned to directsubsets of the different UEs. The subsets may consist of one UE.

In one configuration of an SPA, the SPA may have a policy that places nocontrols on UE 1004 such that any activity on connected UE 1004 isallowable. In some embodiments, there may be one or more servers thathave no SPA (typically, already existing servers) which will often meanthere will be no modify flag. Servers can provide a modify flag withouta SPA, but these are currently expected to be a minority embodiment. Insome embodiments, the UEPA may be set to recognize a server's orprovider's identity and apply a preprogrammed set of modification rulesin the UE, so no flag is needed. The UEPA of a UE connected to aserver/provider with no modify flag and no preprogrammed modificationrules can be provided with a default. The default action may be set bythe UE provider, or may be selectable by the user in some embodiments.In one embodiment, when there is no modify flag and no preprogrammed setof modify rules corresponding to a server or provider, the UEPA is setto interpret the no-modify-flag condition as one of either “T” or “F”.“T” means that the UEPA will either allow policy modifications to thisserver's/provider's policies, and, this server/provider will take lowerprecedence as compared to other servers/providers. “F” means that nopolicy modifications may be made to this server's/provider's policies,and, this server/provider takes higher precedence as compared to otherservers/providers. In higher security environments, the default isexpected to be “T”, since a server/provider with no modify flag orpreprogrammed modify rules will be interpreted as a higher-riskconnection. Any server in a setting where security is more than nominal,which does not have a modify flag (and therefore probably no SPA), maynot the primary server for the UE. That is, in high securityenvironments, the primary or dominant server should always be current insoftware settings, should have an SPA, and should have a modify flag. Ifthe user connects to a server having no modify flag (and typically noSPA), it may be assumed that it is a secondary server of unknownsecurity (not trusted). In such a case, the UEPA, which assigns modifyvalues, should use a default value of “T” for the modify value for theuntrusted server, meaning that policies of the untrusted server arepresumed modifiable in accordance with other, more trusted servers'policies.

In an embodiment, a UE, such as UE 1004, is registered among multiplewireless servers, such as wireless servers 1002 and 1010, though UE 1004is not limited to registering with two wireless servers, where the UEPAof UE 1004 receives policy information from each of the SPAs of wirelessservers 1002 and 1010. The SPAs of multiple wireless servers, such aswireless servers 1002 and 1010, may have a hierarchical order in termsof which SPA provides policies fully implemented by the UEPA. Ahierarchy may be implemented as simple dominance in which one SPA'spolicies are implemented and policies of other SPAs are not used at all.For example, if the user of the UE is a registered member of a corporateserver and a home-based wireless server in which the corporate server isdesignated as dominant and has a policy of not sharing informationoutside the registered members of the corporate server, then a policy ofassigning different sharing status for the UE with different members ofthe home-based server may not be implemented in the UE. Alternatively,the non-sharing information may be limited to information acquiredthrough the corporation server such that a portion of the non-dominantservers policy to assign different sharing status may be implementedwith respect to information acquired other than through the corporateserver. Hierarchies may be implemented as subsets, that is, one SPA maybe designated as dominant, and other SPA policies may be implemented orany portion of other SPA's policies may be implemented, where suchpolices or portions thereof are subsets of, or do not interfere with,the dominant SPA's policies. The implemented policies in a subsetarrangement are logically consistent with each other. For example, if adominant SPA limits international calls to a set of countries and anon-dominant SPA limits international calls to half of the same set ofcountries, the policy of the non-dominant SPA is a subset of the policyof the dominant SPA. Policies conflict if the policies are logicallyunresolvable. For example, unlimited minutes of use by the UE may beallowed by the SPA from a corporate server and limited minutes of use bythe UE may be set by the SPA from a home-based server in which thepolicies are logically resolvable by associating two different accountsto the two different policies. For a situation in which membersregistered with a corporate server as a dominant server are not allowedto share any information through their UE, a policy that allows sharingfrom a non-dominant server would not be logically consistent with thepolicy of the dominant server.

In an embodiment, the UEPA may evaluate the policies provided by theSPAs of multiple servers by checking the modify flag controlled by eachSPA of the multiple servers. Each SPA may send the status of itsassociated modify flag in response to a request from the UEPA, inestablishing a connection with the UE, or during other policyestablishing procedures with the UEPA. If the modify flag from a SPA isset to “no” or “F”, then the policy cannot be modified and the UEPA mustdetermine if the policies associated with this SPA can be madeconsistent with the information the UEPA has from the other SPAs towhich the UE is also connected. For example, if the UE is logged intotwo servers that both have their modify flags set to “F” for the UE withone server designated as the dominant server, then the policies of thenon-dominant server that are not consistent with the policies of thedominant server are ignored. If all policies of the non-dominant serverconflict with those of the dominant server, the UEPA may direct aprocess for the UE user that would allow the UE user to re-evaluate theuser's choice of servers to which the UE is registered. If no policiesare set as dominant and SPA policies are received at a UEPA thatconflict (logically unresolvable) with existing SPA policies, thedefault action of the UEPA may be to not allow the received policiesand/or to hangup the connection being made with the UE that contains SPApolicies not consistent with existing connections and/or registrations.If one server has its modify flag set to “T” for the UE and the otherserver has its modify flag set to “F”, then the logical requirements ofboth servers can still be met, since the UEPA following thenon-modifiable policies is allowed by both SPAs.

In an embodiment, a wireless server may be configured to have multiplegroups of UEs registered as independent groups with the wireless server.In addition, a UE may register as a member of no group, one group, or aplurality of groups on the wireless server. The SPA may send multiplesets of policies to the UE, based on the groups to which the UE isregistered with the server. The UEPA of the UE may resolve the differentpolicies as discussed above. Alternatively, the SPA may resolveconflicts between policies of different groups and send a set ofresolved policies to the UEPA for each group in which the UE isregistered.

In an embodiment, a UEPA of a UE may be configured such that it presentsa logical interface to each server to which the UE is connected suchthat the logical interface functions as if there is only one serverconnected. For such a configuration, the default status of the UEPA isto keep each connection independent such that there is no sharing of anyinformation between servers and/or connection. However, the UEPA maydirect the display of a split screen on the UE in which the multipleindependent connections may be shown. Using the split screen, the UEuser may manage the different connections. A UE registered and/orconnected to a plurality of servers and/or providers may have a UEPAconfigured such that no sharing occurs between the servers. In anembodiment, the no sharing policy cannot be overridden by any SPApolicy. For example, one server may be corporate server and anotherserver may be a personal server, such as one located in a home, having aregistered member that is a registered member of the corporate server.Information shared with members of the corporate server may not beallowed to be shared with members of the personal server. If a secondmember registered with the personal server is also registered with thecorporate, information associated with the corporate server that isshared between the two members of both the corporate server and thepersonal server is provided through the logical interface associatedwith the corporate server. In an embodiment, a UEPA of a UE may have apolicy that certain pre-defined groups or sets of servers and/orproviders may provide SPA policies that will be used in operationbetween the designated groups, but no sharing will occur between thatthese groups and any other server and/or provider not in the pre-definedgroups. Each of the pre-defined groups may be a group of one server.

Referring now to FIG. 11A, there is illustrated a first exampleembodiment of a system and method for routing e-mail messages withexternal domains directly between mobile wireless clients. Asillustrated in FIG. 11A, a first wireless server 1102 is communicativelyoperable with a plurality of mobile wireless clients 1104-1 and 1104-2.In one example embodiment, the wireless server 1102 may include adatabase configured to store information associated with users of themobile wireless clients including a user identification for each mobilewireless client 1104-1 and 1104-2, and an e-mail agent 1110 includingone or more e-mail proxies to collect or send e-mails from and to one ormore external e-mail domains, managed by an external e-mail server1108-1 and 1108-2. According to one embodiment, these external domainsmay include e-mail domains such as Microsoft Hotmail®, and GoogleGmail®. In another embodiment, the external e-mail domains may includecorporate or other enterprise mail systems such as Microsoft Exchange®,IBM's Domino® and Novell's GroupWise®.

According to one embodiment, each e-mail corresponds to a useridentification. An e-mail agent 1110 supports e-mail services of themobile wireless clients 1104 correlated to the user identifications. Thee-mail services include coordinating the sending and receiving of e-mailfrom each e-mail domain corresponding to the user identifications. Thee-mail agent 1110 is further configured to include a direct routingfunction 1112 to route an e-mail message between the one or more mobilewireless clients without first processing the e-mail message through theexternal e-mail domain identified in the e-mail message. Accordingly,according to one example embodiment, the e-mail message is deliveredwithout first being processed by the external e-mail server.

Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 11B, a method according to one exampleembodiment calls for an e-mail message to be sent 1122 from a firstwireless client wherein the e-mail message is from a first user orentity associated with an external e-mail domain. The e-mail isaddressed to a second user or entity also having an external e-maildomain the same as or different from the external e-mail domain of thefirst user or entity. The e-mail is received 1124 at the wireless server1102, for example into the e-mail agent 1110, and the e-mail message isrouted or sent directly 1126 to the second mobile wireless client1104-2, for example using the direct routing function 1112, withoutfirst processing the e-mail message through the one or more externale-mail domains identified for the sender or recipient of the e-mailmessage. Accordingly, the e-mail message is likely more quicklydelivered to the recipient as it is not required first to be sent to androuted through the external e-mail server(s) (for example 1108-1 and1108-2). In one alternate embodiment, the external e-mail servers arealso updated 1128 so that the e-mail records in these servers appear tohave sent or received the direct routed e-mail. Accordingly, theexternal e-mail servers stay synchronized with any e-mail routeddirectly by the wireless server 1102. In one embodiment, the externale-mail servers are directed, for example by e-mail agent 1110, tosynchronize the e-mail after the e-mail is first routed. In anotherembodiment, the external servers may be instructed to synchronize thee-mail after or simultaneously with the direct routing of the messagebetween mobile wireless clients.

According to one example embodiment, e-mail domains external to thewireless server 1102 may include an e-mail domain based on a post officeprotocol (POP), an e-mail domain based on an internet message accessprotocol (IMAP), e-mail domains based on POP and IMAP, or e-mail basedon other server architectures such as Microsoft Exchange®, IBM's Domino®or Novell's GroupWise®.

According to still another example embodiment, the direct routing ofe-mails may be applied to other electronic communications such asinstant messaging wherein instead of the external e-mail servers anddomains there are instant messaging servers and the direct routingroutes the instant message directly between the mobile wireless clientsas opposed to through the external domain.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of a method of administering mobile wirelessclients. The wireless server provides a simplified user interface foradministering mobile wireless clients. In one embodiment, the wirelessserver displays one or more administration scenarios for at least one ofa plurality of mobile wireless clients. A user of the wireless serverselects the administration scenario. The mobile wireless serverautomatically determines one or more administration parameters for amobile wireless client in response to the selection of the one or moreadministration scenarios.

At 1210, the mobile wireless server may present, to a user, one or moreadministration scenarios for a mobile device. The wireless server thenreceives, from the user, a selection of at least one of theadministration scenarios. At 1220, without interaction from the user,the wireless server identifies one or more administration parameters toimplement the selected administration scenarios. The administrationparameters are operable to configure the mobile device for theparticular administration scenario.

The administration scenario includes conditions or desired changes tothe wireless device that involves a change to the configuration data onthe wireless device in order to implement the change. For example,administration scenarios include, but are not limited to setting apassword, forgetting a password, misplacing a mobile device, losing amobile device and managing modes for operation for the wireless device.

FIG. 13 shows an alternate embodiment of a method of administeringmobile wireless clients. At 1310, a wireless server receives a desiredmode of operation for a mobile wireless client. At 1320, wireless servermay use the desired mode of operation to determine one or moreadministration parameters to configure the mobile wireless client forthe desired mode of operation.

Modes of operation for the wireless device may include, but are notlimited to, turning off a phone function, controlling web site access,restricting international phone calls, restricting phone calls tospecified area codes, turning off Short Message Service (SMS) messages,turning off Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS), turning off Web browseruse, blocking downloading of specified content (e.g. games), and loggingor monitoring different types of usage on the mobile device.

In one embodiment, the wireless server may transmit administrationparameters from the wireless server to the mobile wireless client andconfigure the mobile wireless client for the desired mode of operationusing the administration parameters. The administration parameters maybe determined without human intervention.

In one embodiment, either the wireless server or the mobile wirelessclient may display administration scenarios or modes of operation on asimplified user interface. The simplified user interface displays lessthan all of the administration parameters available for configuration ofthe wireless device. Instead the simplified user interface may displayone or more administration scenarios or modes of operation rather thandisplaying the administration parameters. For example, if theadministration scenario for authentication of users on the systeminvolves requiring a password, the administration parameters used toimplement the administration scenario may include the following:

Password required parameter (true/false)

Maximum Password Age parameter (number of days)

Maximum Password Length parameter (number of characters)

Password Pattern Checks

Prohibited Passwords.

Although in this example, five parameters are involved to implement anadministration scenario of requiring a password, the simplified userinterface may not display any of the administration parameters, or theuser interface may display less than all of the administrationparameters. Instead of displaying some or all of the administrationparameters, the user interface may display high-level or abstractdescriptions of the administration parameters used to implement apassword policy. For example, the user interface may offer as a choicefor a user the question “Do you need to change your password?” Thequestion is an example of an administration scenario.

FIG. 14 illustrates a system 1400 that may be deployed within thearchitecture 100 and/or the architecture 200 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Forexample, a collaboration tool 1402 and an agent 1412 may be deployedwithin the wireless server 205 (see FIG. 2). The informational contentmay be stored within an informational content management subsystem 1408of a collaboration tool 1402.

The informational content management subsystem 1408 may receive and/orprovide information relating to informational content from a userthrough a web console user interface 1404 and/or from an externalapplication through the external interface 1406. The external interface1406 may use an API of an external application and/or a scrappingprogram to obtain the information.

The informational content management subsystem 1408 may utilize asynchronization table 1410 and the agent 1412 to provide informationalcontent to and/or receive informational content from a wireless mobiledevice 1414. The agent 1412 may enable communication between thewireless mobile device 1414 and the collaboration tool 1402. Thewireless device 1414 may be a member of the group 110 of wirelessdevices (see FIG. 1).

The synchronization table 1410 may be capable of synchronizing themobile wireless device 1414 with the wireless server 205. Thesynchronization table 1410 may be retained on the wireless server 205.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example informational content managementsubsystem 1408 that may be deployed in the system 1400 or in anothersystem.

The informational content management subsystem 1408 may include aninformational content access module 1502, an informational contentdisplay module 1504, an informational content provider module 1506, anentry module 1508, an identification module 1510, a record module 1512,an acknowledgement receiver module 1514, a synchronization update module1516, a disassociation module 1518, a distribution determination module1520, a synchronization access module 1522, a delivery statusdetermination module 1524, a notification module 1526, a contentretainer update module 1528, a synchronization modification module 1530,a deletion module 1532, and/or a content data modification module 1534.Other modules may also be used.

The informational content access module 1502 accesses (e.g., receives)private informational content associated with a single user and/orshared informational content associated with the single user and atleast one other user. The informational content may be received from theone or more information sources 115 (see FIG. 1).

The informational content display module 1504 displays the privateinformational content and the shared informational content on a sameuser interface for the single user. The same user interface may include,by way of example, the web console user interface 1404 and/or a userinterface on the wireless mobile device 1414.

The informational content provider module 1506 delivers or transfers theshared informational content (e.g., received from of the one or moreinformation sources 115) and/or private informational content to themobile wireless device 1414 associated with the user. The providedinformational content may be capable of resynchronizing the mobilewireless device 1414.

The entry module 1508 adds and/or removes an entry in a userconfiguration table for a user.

The identification module 1510 identifies private informational contentand/or shared informational content associated with the user.

The record module 1512 adds a synchronization record for the sharedinformational content and/or the private informational content to asynchronization table and/or removes a synchronization record for theshared informational content and/or the private informational contentfrom a synchronization table.

The acknowledgement receiver module 1514 receives an updateacknowledgement from the mobile wireless device 1414.

The synchronization update module 1516 updates the synchronization tablebased on the received update acknowledgement and/or providedinformational content based on the privacy state.

The disassociation module 1518 disassociates a private content retainer(e.g. a folder or a content table) associated with a user.

The distribution determination module 1520 determines a distribution ofthe informational content to one or more mobile wireless devices 114based on the privacy state of the informational content.

The synchronization access module 1522 accesses one or moresynchronization records associated with informational content based on adistribution determination.

The delivery status determination module 1524 determines a deliverystatus of the informational content associated with the one or moresynchronization records.

The notification module 1526 sends a notification regarding theinformational content to a user and/or receives a notification to deleteinformational content (e.g., shared informational content).

The content retainer update module 1528 updates a content retainer(e.g., a folder or a content table) of the content type to include theinformational content. The content retainer may be capable of trackingthe privacy state of the informational content.

The synchronization modification module 1530 modifies a synchronizationtable for one or more users to reflect deletion of the sharedinformational content.

The deletion module 1532 provides a deletion request for the sharedinformational content to the mobile wireless device 1414 of a userand/or receives a deletion acknowledgement from the mobile wirelessdevice 1414 of the user.

The content data modification module 1534 modifies a content datastructure of the content type to remove the informational content.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example wireless mobile device 1414 that may bedeployed in the system 1400 or in another system.

The wireless mobile device 1414 may include an informational contentreceiver module 1602, a content data structure update module 1604, aninformation display module 1606, an acknowledgement provider module1608, a deletion request receiver module 1610, and/or an omission module1612. Other modules may also be used.

The informational content receiver module 1602 receives informationalcontent of a content type from the wireless server 205 (see FIG. 2).

The content data structure update module 1604 updates a content datastructure of the content type to include and/or remove the informationalcontent.

The information display module 1606 displays information associated withthe informational content on a user interface of the mobile wirelessclient 114.

The acknowledgement provider module 1608 provides an updateacknowledgement and/or a deletion acknowledgement to the wireless server205.

The deletion request receiver module 1610 receives a deletion requestfor shared informational content of a content type from the wirelessserver 205.

The omission module 1612 omits the shared informational content fromdisplay of the information associated with the content data structure ona user interface.

FIG. 17 illustrates a user map 1700 according to an example embodiment.The user map 1700 may be deployed in the informational contentmanagement system 1408, or otherwise deployed in the system 1400 or inanother system.

The user map 1700 may maintain a mapping between a number of users andcontent retainers (e.g., folders or content tables) associated with theusers. The content retainers may retain informational content receivedfrom a user or otherwise received.

A user may be associated with more than one content retainer. Forexample, the user may be associated with one or more private contentretainers and/or one or more public content retainers. The contentretainer may be identified with more than one user. For example, thecontent retainer may be associated with multiple users for a sharedcontent retainer.

The user map 1700 may include a user identifier header 1702, a contentretainer identifier header 1704, and/or a permission header 1706 and anumber of mapping records 1708-1722. Each of the mapping records1708-1722 may include a field corresponding to a header. Other headersand/or records may also be used.

The user identifier header 1702 references a user identifier with whicha particular user is associated to distinguish the user from otherusers. A particular user identifier may be included multiple times inthe mapping records 1708-1722 to reflect that the particular useridentifier is associated with multiple content retainers.

The content retainer identifier header 1704 references a contentretainer identifier of a content retainer with which a particular useris associated. A particular content retainer identifier may be includedmultiple times in the mapping records 1708-1722 to reflect that aparticular content retainer is associated with multiple users.

The permission header 1706 references the permission that users havewith respect to content retainers. The permissions available mayinclude, for example, read access, write access, modify access, and/orall access. The permission may enable an associated user to have certainaccess to informational content retained by the content retainer.

FIG. 18 illustrates content retainers 1800 according to an exampleembodiment. The content retainers 1800 may be deployed in theinformational content management system 1408 or otherwise deployed inthe system 1400 or in another system.

The content retainers 1800 may be in the form of a number of folders1802-1810 that may each retain one or more appointments 1812-1820 orother informational content. The number of folders 1802-1810 is shownmerely as an example, and a greater or lesser number of folders of thesame and/or different content types may also be used. In an exampleembodiment, a folder of the folders 1802-1810 may only include a singlecontent type of the informational content, and multiple folders may beused to represent more than one content type.

A shared informational content folder 1802 may include two sharedinformational content subfolders 1804, 1806. The two sharedinformational content subfolders 1804, 1806 may inherit some of theproperties (e.g., association of users with a particular folder) of theshared informational content folder 1802 on which it is based. The twoshared informational content subfolders 1804, 1806 may enable a user tobe associated with only a subset of the appointments or otherinformational content of the parent shared informational content folder1802. A private folder 1814 may be subdivided into one or moresubfolders 1810 for organizational or other purposes.

FIG. 19 illustrates content retainers 1900 according to an exampleembodiment. The content retainers 1900 may be deployed in theinformational content management system 1408 or otherwise deployed inthe system 1400 or in another system.

The content retainers 1900 may be in the form of a number of contenttables 1902, 1904 that may each retain one or more appointments1906.1-1906.n, 1908.1-1908.n or other informational content. The numberof content tables 1902, 1904 is shown merely as an example, and agreater or lesser number of folders of the same or different contenttypes may also be used. In an example embodiment, a content table of thecontent tables 1902, 1904 may only include a single content type of theinformational content, and multiple content tables may be used torepresent more than one content type.

FIG. 20 illustrates appointment data 2000 according to an exampleembodiment. The appointment data 2000 may be deployed as informationalcontent in the informational content management system 1408 or otherwisedeployed in the system 1400 or in another system. The appointment data2000 may be used for a calendar or otherwise used.

The appointment data 2000 may include an entry identifier field 2002, adate field 2004, a subject field 2006, a start time field 2008, aduration field 2010, a time zone field 2012, a reminder time field 2014,an event title field 2016, an event body field 2018, an event locationfield 202, a content retainer identifier field 2022, an owner identifierfield 2024, and/or a shared field 2026. Other fields may also be used.

The entry identifier field 2002 stores a value (e.g., an index value)for the appointment data 2000 to distinguish particular appointment data2000 (e.g., an appointment) from other informational content in thecontent retainer. For example, the content retainer may include a numberof appointment data 2000 where each is identified by an entryidentifier.

The date field 2004 stores a date on which an appointment occurs. Thesubject field 2006 stores a subject of the appointment. The start timefield 2008 stores a start time of the appointment. The duration field2010 stores duration of the appointment. The time zone field 2012 storesa time zone of the appointment. The reminder time field 2014 stores anoptional time at which a reminder may be sent to one or more usersassociated with the appointment.

The event title field 2016 stores a title of the appointment. The eventbody field 2018 stores a body of the appointment. The event locationfield 202 stores an event location of the appointment. The contentretainer identifier field 2022 identifies the content retainerassociated with the informational content.

The owner identifier field 2024 identifiers a user identifier or acreator of the appointment. The shared field 2026 indicates whether theappointment is a shared appointment or a private appointment.

FIG. 21 illustrates memo data 2100 according to an example embodiment.The memo data 2100 may be deployed as informational content in theinformational content management system 1408 or otherwise deployed inthe system 1400 or in another system. The memo data 2100 may be used ina collection of memos or otherwise used.

The memo data 2100 may include an entry identifier field 2102, an entrydate field 2104, a subject field 2106, a memo title field 2108, a memobody field 2120, a content retainer identifier field 2112, an owneridentifier field 2114, a shared field 2116, and/or a completion field2118. Other fields may also be used.

The entry identifier field 2102 stores a value (e.g., an index value)for the informational content to distinguish particular memo data 2100(e.g., a memo) from other informational content in the content retainer.

The entry date field 2104 stores a value of a date on which the memo wascreated. The subject field 2106 stores a subject of the memo. The memotitle field 2108 stores a title of the memo. The memo body field 2120stores a body of the memo.

The content retainer identifier field 2112 identifies the contentretainer associated with the memo data 2100. The owner identifier field2114 identifiers a user identifier or a creator of the memo. The sharedfield 2116 indicates whether the memo is a shared memo or a privatememo. The completion field 2118 indicates whether a task or otherinformation described in the memo has been completed.

FIG. 22 illustrates address book data 2200 according to an exampleembodiment. The address book data 2200 may be deployed as informationalcontent in the informational content management system 1408 or otherwisedeployed in the system 1400 or in another system. The address book data2200 may be used in an address book or otherwise used.

The address boon data 2200 may include an entry identifier field 2202, alast modified data field 2204, a full name field 2206, a mailing addressfield 2208, an e-mail address field 2210, a phone number field 2212, afax number field 2214, a notes field 2216, a content retainer identifierfield 2218, an owner identifier field 2220, and/or a shared field 2222.Other fields may also be used.

The entry identifier field 2202 stores a value (e.g., an index value)for the address book data 2200 to distinguish particular address bookdata 2200 (e.g., an address book entry) from other informational contentin the content retainer.

The last modified date field 2204 stores a value of a date on which theaddress book entry was last modified. The full name field 2206 stores afull name of a user for the address book entry. The mailing addressfield 2208 stores a mailing address for the address book entry. Thee-mail address field 2210 stores an e-mail address for the address bookentry. The phone number field 2212 stores a phone number for the addressbook entry. The fax number field 2214 stores a fax number for theaddress book entry. The notes field 2216 stores notes for the addressbook entry.

The content retainer identifier field 2218 identifies the contentretainer associated with the address book entry. The owner identifierfield 2220 identifiers a user identifier and/or a creator of the addressbook entry. The shared field 2222 indicates whether the address bookentry is a shared address book entry or a private address book entry.

FIG. 23 illustrates an example recurrence table 2300 according to anexample embodiment. The recurrence table 2300 may be deployed in theinformational content management system 1408 or otherwise deployed inthe system 1400 or in another system. The reoccurrence table 2300 may beassociated with informational content (e.g., an appointment) to indicatemultiple occurrences of the informational content (e.g., within acontent retainer).

The recurrence table 2300 may include a number of headers 2304-2318 withassociated fields 2320-2334 for each entry in the recurrence table 2300.While the recurrence table 2300 is shown to include a single recurrencewith the field 2320-2334, a greater number of recurrences may beincluded in the recurrence table 2300.

The fields 2320-2334 may include a recurrence identifier field 2320, arecurrence interval field 2322, a recurrence frequency field 2324, arecurrence until field 2326, a recurrence month field 2328, a recurrenceweek start field 2330, a recurrence day of week field 2332, and/or arecurrence day of month field 2334. Other fields may also be used.

The recurrence identifier field 2320 receives a value (e.g., an indexvalue) for recurrence to distinguish a particular recurrence from otherrecurrences in the recurrence table 2300.

The recurrence interval field 2322 receives a value indicating aninterval between occurrences (e.g., of the appointment). The recurrencefrequency field 2324 receives a value indicating frequency of theoccurrence. The recurrence until field 2326 receives a value indicatinga through date for the occurrences.

The recurrence month field 2328 receives a value indicating a month ofthe year for the occurrences. The recurrence week start field 2330receives a value indicating a week of the year for the occurrences tostart. The recurrence day of week field 2332 receives a value indicatinga day of the week for the occurrences. The recurrence day of month field2334 receives a value indicating a month of the year for theoccurrences.

FIG. 24 illustrates an example synchronization table 1410 according toan example embodiment. The synchronization table 1410 may be deployed inthe system 1400 or in another system.

The synchronization table 1410 may include a number of headers 2402-2418with associated fields 2420-2336 for each entry in the synchronizationtable 1410. The fields 2420-2336 may include a table identifier field2420, a synchronization identifier field 2422, a user identifier field2424, a reference identifier field 2426, a delivery status field 2428, acontent type field 2430, a revision field 2432, a sequence field 2434,and/or a status field 2436. Other headers and/or fields may also beused.

The table identifier field 2420 receives a value (e.g., an index value)to distinguish a particular synchronization record from anothersynchronization record in the synchronization table 1410.

The synchronization identifier field 2422 receives a value indicating anentry identifier for informational content of a content type. The useridentifier field 2424 receives a value indicating a user on the user map1700 with whom the synchronization record is associated. The referenceidentifier field 2426 receives a reference value.

The delivery status field 2428 receives a value indicating a deliverystatus of the informational content to the mobile wireless device 1414.For example, the value may be a “4” indicating that the associatedinformational content is new and is to be delivered to the wirelessmobile device 1414, a “8” indicating that that the associatedinformational content is updated and is to be delivered to the wirelessmobile device 1414, or a “16” indicating that the associatedinformational content is to be deleted from the mobile wireless device1414.

The content type field 2430 receives a value indicating the content typeof the informational content. The revision field 2432 receives a valuethat may be used to resolve conflicting and/or concurrent updates on themobile wireless device 1414. The sequence field 2434 receives a valuethat may be used to resolve conflicting and/or concurrent updates on themobile wireless device 1414. The status field 2436 receives a valueindicating the processing status of the informational content managementsubsystem 1402.

FIG. 25 illustrates a content retainer table 2500 according to anexample embodiment. The content retainer table 2500 may be deployed inthe informational content management system 1408 or otherwise deployedin the system 1400 or in another system. The content retainer table 2500may be associated with a content retainer (e.g., a folder or a contenttable) to identify a name and a content type for the associated contentretainer.

The content retainer table 2500 may include a number of headers2502-2506 and a number of records 2508-2516 with fields corresponding tothe headers 2502-2506. The headers 2502-2506 may include a contentretainer identifier header 2502, a content retainer name field 2504,and/or a content type field 2506. Other headers and/or fields may alsobe used.

A field associated with the content retainer identifier header 2502receives a value (e.g., an index value) to distinguish a particularcontent retainer from another content retainer. A field associated withthe content retainer name header 2504 receives a name of the contentretainer. A field associated with the content type header 2506 receivesa value indicating the content type of the content retainer.

FIG. 26 illustrates a user configuration table 2600 according to anexample embodiment. The content retainer table 2600 may be deployed inthe agent 1412 or otherwise deployed in the system 1400 or in anothersystem. The user configuration table 2600 may associate a user with aparticular mobile wireless device 1414.

The user configuration table 2600 may include a number of headers 2602,2604 and a number of entries 2606-2620 with fields corresponding to theheaders 2602, 2604. The headers 2602, 2604 may include a user identifierheader 2602 and/or a device identifier header 2604. Other fields and/orheaders may also be used.

A field associated with the user identifier header 2602 receives a value(e.g., an index value) to distinguish a particular user from anotheruser. A field associated with the device identifier header 2604 receivesa value (e.g., a unique value) indicating the wireless mobile device1414 that is associated with a particular user.

FIG. 27 illustrates a method 2700 for presenting informational contentaccording to an example embodiment. The method 2700 may be performed bythe wireless mobile device 1414, by the informational content managementsubsystem 1408, or otherwise performed.

Private informational content associated with a single user is accessedat block 2702. The private information content may be unavailable toother users beyond the single user. Shared informational contentassociated with the single user and at least one other user is accessedat block 2704. The shared and/or private informational content mayinclude, by way of example, calendar data, an address book, a messageboard, a task monitor, photograph data, music data, video data, textdata, or a combination there. Other types of shared informationalcontent may also be used.

The private informational content and the shared informational contentare displayed on a same user interface for the single user at block2706. For example, the same user interface may be on the mobile wirelessdevice 1414.

FIG. 28 illustrates a method 2800 for synchronizing informationalcontent according to an example embodiment. The method 2800 may beperformed by the agent 1412, the informational content managementsubsystem 1408, or otherwise performed.

Shared informational content for a user is received from one or moreinformation sources 115 at block 2802. The information sources 115 mayinclude, by way of an example the web console interface 1404, a userinterface of the mobile wireless device 1414, and/or an externalinterface 1406. Other information sources 115 may also be used.

The shared informational content may include calendar data, an addressbook, a message board, a task monitor, photograph data, music data,video data, text data, or a combination thereof. The sharedinformational content may include new informational content or modifiedinformational content.

At block 2084, the shared informational content received from of the oneor more information sources 115 is delivered to the mobile wirelessdevice 1414 associated with the user. The shared informational contentmay be delivered to a second mobile wireless device 1414 associated witha second user.

FIG. 29 illustrates a method 2900 for adding a user to the wirelessserver 205 according to an example embodiment. The method 2900 may beperformed by the informational content management subsystem 1408 orotherwise performed.

An entry is added in the user configuration table 2006 for a user atblock 2902.

Private informational content associated with the user may be identifiedat block 2904.

The synchronization record for the private informational content may beadded to the synchronization table 1410 for the user at block 2906.

The private informational content may be transferred to the mobilewireless device 1414 of the user at block 2908.

Shared informational content associated with the user is identified atblock 2910.

A synchronization record for the shared informational content is addedto the synchronization table 1410 for the user at block 2912.

The shared informational content is transferred to the mobile wirelessdevice 1414 of the user at block 2914.

An update acknowledgement may be received from the mobile wirelessdevice 1414 at block 2916.

The synchronization table 1410 for the user may be updated based on thereceived update acknowledgement at block 2918.

In an example embodiment, the operations performed at the blocks 2910,2912, 2914 may occur before the operations performed at the blocks 2904,2906, 2908.

FIG. 30 illustrates a method 3000 for deleting a user from the wirelessserver 205 according to an example embodiment. The method 3000 may beperformed by the informational content management subsystem 1408 orotherwise performed.

One or more synchronization records are removed from the synchronizationtable 1410 for a user at block 3002.

An entry in the user configuration table 2600 is removed for the user atblock 3004. The user configuration table 2600 may include one or moreentries. Each of the one or more entries may define an associationbetween another user and the mobile wireless device 1414.

A private content retainer associated with the user may be dissociatedat block 3006. The private content retainer may include a private folderor a private table. Other private content retainers may also be used.

FIG. 31 illustrates a method 3100 for informational content distributionaccording to an example embodiment. The method 3100 may be performed bythe informational content management subsystem 1408, the agent 1412, orotherwise performed.

Informational content is accessed at block 3102. The informationalcontent may have a privacy state.

In an example embodiment, during the operations at block 3102 amodification request for the informational content may be receivedthrough a user interface (e.g., the web console user interface 1404),the informational content may be modified in accordance with themodification request; and the one or more synchronization recordsassociated with the informational content may be modified.

At block 3104, a distribution of the informational content to one ormore mobile wireless devices 1414 is determined based on the privacystate.

One or more synchronization records associated with informationalcontent is accessed based on the distribution determination at block3106

A delivery status of the informational content associated with the oneor more synchronization records is determined at block 3106.

The informational content is transferred to the one or more mobilewireless devices 1414 based on the delivery status determination atblock 3108.

FIG. 32 illustrates a method 3200 for processing informational contentaccording to an example embodiment. The method 3200 may be performed bythe informational content management subsystem 1408, the agent 1412, orotherwise performed.

Informational content of a content type is received at block 3202. Theinformational content may have a privacy state. The informationalcontent may be received the mobile wireless device 1414, a userinterface on a different computing system, or otherwise received.

At block 3204, the synchronization table 1410 identifying one or moreusers of mobile wireless clients 210 (see FIG. 2) to be provided withthe informational content is updated based on the privacy state of theinformational content. The updating may include, by way of an example,adding an entry to the synchronization table 1410 for a user to beprovided with the informational content and/or modifying an entry to thesynchronization table 1410 for a user to be provided with theinformational content.

In an example embodiment, a user of the mobile device 1414 may notreceive the informational content when the informational contentoriginated from the wireless mobile device 1414 of the user. Excluding aretransmission of the informational content from the originatingwireless mobile device 1414 may reduce bandwidth and/or preventunnecessary processing of data by the originating wireless mobile device1414.

A determination may be made at decision block 3206 whether to transferthe informational content. If a determination is made to transfer theinformational content, the informational content may be transferred tothe mobile wireless device 1414 of one or more users at block 3208. Theprovided information may be capable of resynchronizing the mobilewireless device 1414. If a determination is made at decision block 3206not to transfer the informational content, the method 3200 may proceedto decision block 3210.

At decision block 3210, a determination may be made whether to send anotification. If a determination is made to send a notification, anotification regarding the informational content may be sent to one ormore users. If a determination is made not to send a notification atdecision block 3210, the method 3200 may proceed to decision block 3214.

A determination may be made at decision block 3214 whether to update acontent retainer (e.g., a folder or a content table). If a determinationis made to update the content retainer, a content retainer of thecontent type may be updated to include the informational content. Thecontent retainer may be capable of tracking the privacy state of theinformational content. If a determination is made not to update thecontent retainer at decision block 3214 or upon completion of theoperations at block 3216, the method 3200 may terminate.

In an example embodiment, updating the content table may include addingthe informational content to a content table (e.g., the content table1902, 1904) or modifying existing informational content of the contenttable. For example, modifying the existing informational content mayinclude determining whether a user associated with receivedinformational content is an owner of the existing informational contentand modifying the existing informational content based on thedetermination.

In an example embodiment, the operations at decision blocks 3206, 3210,3214, may occur in any order and/or simultaneously.

FIG. 33 illustrates a method 3300 for processing informational contentaccording to an example embodiment. The method 3300 may be performed bythe wireless device 1414 or otherwise performed.

Informational content of a content type is received from the wirelessserver 205 at block 3302. The informational content may include, by wayof an example, a calendar item, a memo item, a contact item, a taskitem, a message board item, and/or an address book item. Otherinformational content may also be used.

A content data structure of the content type is updated to include theinformational content at block 3304. The content data structure may havethe privacy state of the informational content. The content datastructure may be a folder, a content table, or a different structure.

An update acknowledgement may be provided to the wireless server 205 atblock 3306.

Information associated with the informational content is displayed on auser interface of the mobile wireless client 1414 at block 3308.

FIG. 34 illustrates a method 3400 for deleting shared informationalcontent according to an example embodiment. The method 3100 may beperformed by the informational content management subsystem 1408 orotherwise performed.

A notification to delete shared informational content of a content typeis received at block 3402. The shared informational content may beassociated with a number of users.

At block 3404, the synchronization table 1410 is modified for the usersto reflect deletion of the shared informational content.

In an example embodiment, delivery status of a synchronization record ofthe synchronization table 1410 may be modified for the users to reflectdeletion of the shared informational content.

A deletion request for the shared informational content is provided tothe mobile wireless device 1414 of one or more users at block 3406.

A deletion acknowledgement may be received from the mobile wirelessdevice 1414 of the user at block 3408.

A content data structure of the content type may be modified to removethe informational content at block 3410.

FIG. 35 illustrates a method 3500 for deleting shared informationalcontent according to an example embodiment. The method 3500 may beperformed by the wireless device 1414 or otherwise performed.

At block 3502, a deletion request for shared informational content of acontent type from the wireless server 205 is received.

A content data structure of the content type is updated to remove theinformational content at block 3504.

A deletion acknowledgement may be provided to the wireless server 205 atblock 3506.

At block 3508, the shared informational content may be omitted fromdisplay of the information associated with the content data structure ona user interface.

Various embodiments or combination of embodiments for apparatus andmethods for a wireless server, as described herein, can be realized inhardware implementations, software implementations, and combinations ofhardware and software implementations. These implementations may includea machine-readable medium having machine-executable instructions, suchas a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions,for operating the wireless server in a group relationship with one ormore mobile wireless clients such that information is disseminated amongthe group based on a privacy status associated with the information. Thecommunications of the wireless server with the group and sharing ofinformation can be conducted on a secured basis. The machine-readablemedium is not limited to any one type of medium.

Various embodiments or combination of embodiments for apparatus andmethods for a mobile wireless device, as described herein, can berealized in hardware implementations, software implementations, andcombinations of hardware and software implementations. Theseimplementations may include a machine-readable medium havingmachine-executable instructions, such as a computer-readable mediumhaving computer-executable instructions, for operating the mobilewireless device in a multiple-mode arrangement as a wireless client ofmultiple wireless servers. The mobile wireless device may be configuredin a group relationship with the wireless servers such that the mobilewireless device information interact with the wireless servers toreceive and send information based on a privacy status associated withthe information. The communications of the mobile wireless device witheach wireless server of an associated group can be conducted on asecured basis. The machine-readable medium is not limited to any onetype of medium.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the artthat any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose maybe substituted for the specific embodiments shown. It is to beunderstood that the above description is intended to be illustrative,and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will beapparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the abovedescription.

1. A wireless server comprising: a router to communicate with aplurality of mobile wireless clients such that the router is operable tocontrol communication to a mobile wireless client selected from theplurality of mobile wireless clients; a database configured to storeinformation associated with users of the mobile wireless clientsincluding a user identification for each mobile wireless client and tostore configuration data to configure the wireless server in a back-upprocedure with the mobile wireless clients; a policy service havinginstructions to regulate communication of information from each of themobile wireless clients to other entities, the wireless serverconfigured to include a reconfiguration policy having a sequencingprocedure to provide the configuration data to the mobile wirelessclients and having a hierarchy identifying which of the mobile wirelessclients controls re-supplying the configuration data to the wirelessserver; a share agent configured with instructions to controldissemination of information, in conjunction with the policy service, toone or more of the mobile wireless clients from the database on a sharedbasis responsive to a determination of a privacy state of theinformation; and a controller arranged to manage the database, therouter, the policy service, and the share agent.
 2. The wireless serverof claim 1, wherein the wireless server is configured to manage allcommunications with the plurality of mobile wireless clients over secureconnections between the wireless server and each mobile wireless clientsuch that each one of the secure connections is unique to a differentone of the mobile wireless clients.
 3. The wireless server of claim 1,the wireless server including: an e-mail proxy to collect e-mails from aplurality of mail domains external to the wireless server, eachcollected e-mail corresponding to a user identification; and an e-mailagent to support e-mail services of the mobile wireless clientscorrelated to the user identifications, the e-mail services operable tocoordinate transmission and reception of e-mail from each e-mail domaincorresponding to the user identifications.
 4. The wireless server ofclaim 3, wherein the mail domains external to the wireless serverinclude an e-mail domain based on a post office protocol (POP), ane-mail domain based on an internet message access protocol (IMAP), ore-mail domains based on POP and IMAP.
 5. The wireless server of claim 3,wherein the e-mail agent includes an e-mail agent configured to route ane-mail message between the one or more mobile wireless clients withoutprocessing through e-mail domains identified in the e-mail message. 6.The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server isconfigured as instructions on a computer-readable medium on a personalcomputer to wirelessly provide private information, informationgenerated on the personal computer, and shared information to the one ormore mobile wireless clients.
 7. The wireless server of claim 1, whereinthe user identification is correlated to a wireless service account ofthe user.
 8. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the informationincludes content of one or more of an interactive calendar, an addressbook, a message board, or a task monitor.
 9. The wireless server ofclaim 1, wherein the wireless server includes a flow control agentresponsive to a communication policy to limit flow of information witheach of the mobile wireless clients.
 10. The wireless server of claim 1,wherein the wireless server includes a resource agent configured to makethe informational content, collected from sources external to thewireless server, available to the mobile wireless clients.
 11. Thewireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes a syncengine to automatically copy information to each mobile wireless clientauthorized to access the information.
 12. The wireless server of claim1, wherein the wireless server includes a video agent configured toaccess a video programming source external to the wireless server and tomake available video content from the video programming source to eachmobile wireless client authorized to access the video content, the videocontent routed through the wireless server.
 13. The wireless server ofclaim 12, wherein the wireless server includes an interface to accessthe video programming source via a wired network.
 14. The wirelessserver of claim 12, wherein the wireless server includes a folder tostore the video content, the folder shared by each mobile wirelessclient authorized to access the video content.
 15. The wireless serverof claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes the wireless serveroperable to automatically provide data in an identified shared folder toa server external to the wireless server, the identified shared foldercorrelated to a user identification associated with at least one of themobile wireless clients.
 16. The wireless server of claim 15, whereinthe data includes calendar data, photograph data, music data, videodata, text data, or combinations thereof.
 17. The wireless server ofclaim 1, wherein the wireless server includes a storage medium to storeconfiguration data specifying a configuration of the wireless server,the wireless server operable to automatically provide the configurationdata to an external wireless device correlated to a user identificationassociated with at least one of the mobile wireless clients.
 18. Thewireless server of claim 17, wherein the external wireless deviceincludes a mobile wireless client selected from the plurality of mobilewireless clients.
 19. The wireless server of claim 18, wherein theselected mobile wireless client includes a hand-held mobile wirelessclient.
 20. The wireless server of claim 17, wherein the externalwireless device includes an external wireless server correlated to oneor more of the user identifications.
 21. The wireless server of claim 1,wherein the wireless server includes a user interface to administer thewireless server based on a set of administration parameters, the setmanaged by wizards and lists.
 22. The wireless server of claim 1,wherein the wireless server includes an internal browser to browsermedia files stored on the wireless server and a transfer agent to send aselected media file to one of the mobile wireless clients in response toreception of a selection indicator from the one mobile wireless client.23. The wireless server of claim 22, wherein the wireless serverincludes the wireless server operable to provide a representation ofeach of the media files to the one mobile wireless client to provide abasis for the selection of the selected media file.
 24. The wirelessserver of claim 22, wherein a representation of each of the media filesincludes a thumbnail of each of the media files.
 25. The wireless serverof claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes the wireless serveroperable to make informational content available to the mobile wirelessclients, the informational content including one or more of audio,video, news, text, or combinations thereof.
 26. The wireless server ofclaim 1, wherein the wireless server includes the wireless serveroperable to control communication to a mobile wireless client selectedfrom the plurality of mobile wireless clients, the communicationprovided in a format selected from an e-mail message, an instantmessaging communication, a page message, a text communication, or atelephonic call.
 27. A method comprising: controlling operation of awireless server operable to communicate with a plurality of mobilewireless clients using a router, in the wireless server, arranged tocontrol communication to a mobile wireless client selected from theplurality of mobile wireless clients; managing information in a databaseof the wireless server including storing information associated withusers of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated withthe users including a user identification for each mobile wirelessclient and storing configuration data to configure the wireless serverin a back-up procedure with the mobile wireless clients; regulating,using instructions of a policy service in the wireless server,communication of information from each of the mobile wireless clients toother entities; maintaining a reconfiguration policy with instructionshaving a sequencing procedure to provide the configuration data and ahierarchy identifying which of the mobile wireless clients controlsre-supplying the configuration data to the wireless server; controlling,using instructions of a share agent in the wireless server inconjunction with the instructions of the policy service, disseminationof information to one or more of the mobile wireless clients from thedatabase on a shared basis responsive to a determination of a privacystate of the information among the plurality of mobile wireless clients;and managing the database, the router, the policy service, and the shareagent using a controller in the wireless server.
 28. The method of claim27, wherein the method includes communicating with the plurality ofmobile wireless clients over secure connections for all communicationsbetween the wireless server and each mobile wireless client such thateach one of the secure connections is unique to a different one of themobile wireless clients.
 29. The method of claim 27, the methodincludes: collecting, in the wireless server, e-mails from one or moremail domains external to the wireless server, each collected e-mailcorresponding to a user identification; and supporting e-mail servicesof the mobile wireless clients correlated to the user identifications,the e-mail services including coordinating the sending and receiving ofe-mail from each e-mail domain corresponding to the useridentifications.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the method includesrouting an e-mail message between the one or more mobile wirelessclients without processing through e-mail domains identified in thee-mail message.
 31. The method of claim 27, wherein managing informationincludes managing content of one or more of an interactive calendar, anaddress book, a message board, or a task monitor.
 32. The method ofclaim 27, wherein the method includes making informational content,collected from sources external to the wireless server, available to themobile wireless clients.
 33. The method of claim 27, wherein the methodincludes automatically copying information from the wireless server toeach mobile wireless client authorized to access the information. 34.The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes accessing a videoprogramming source external to the wireless server and to make availablevideo content from the video programming source to each mobile wirelessclient authorized to access the video content, the video content routedthrough the wireless server.
 35. The method of claim 27, wherein themethod includes automatically providing data in an identified sharedfolder of the wireless server to an external wireless server, theidentified shared folder correlated to a user identification associatedwith at least one of the mobile wireless clients.
 36. The method ofclaim 35, wherein the data includes calendar data, photograph data,music data, video data, text data, or combinations thereof.
 37. Themethod of claim 27, wherein the method includes storing configurationdata specifying a configuration of the wireless server and automaticallyproviding the configuration data to an external wireless device based onoccurrence of a specified event, the external wireless device correlatedto a user identification associated with at least one of the mobilewireless clients.
 38. The method of claim 27, wherein the methodincludes providing, to a mobile wireless client, a representation ofeach media file stored on the wireless server for which the mobilewireless client is authorized to access.
 39. The method of claim 38,wherein providing, to a mobile wireless client, a representation of eachmedia file includes providing a thumbnail of each of the media files.40. The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes controllingcommunication, via the wireless server, to a mobile wireless clientselected from the plurality of mobile wireless clients, thecommunication provided in a format selected from an e-mail message, aninstant messaging communication, a page message, a text communication,or a telephonic call.
 41. A machine-readable storage memory that storesinstructions, which, when the instructions are executed by a controller,cause the machine to perform operations comprising: controllingoperation of a wireless server operable to communicate with a pluralityof mobile wireless clients using a router, in the wireless server,arranged to control communication to a mobile wireless client selectedfrom the plurality of mobile wireless clients; managing information in adatabase of the wireless server including storing information associatedwith users of the mobile wireless clients, the information associatedwith the users including a user identification for each mobile wirelessclient and storing configuration data to configure the wireless serverin a back-up procedure with the mobile wireless clients; regulating,using instructions of a policy service in the wireless server,communication of information from each of the mobile wireless clients toother entities; maintaining a reconfiguration policy with instructionshaving a sequencing procedure to provide the configuration data and ahierarchy identifying which of the mobile wireless clients controlsre-supplying the configuration data to the wireless server; controlling,using instructions of a share agent in the wireless server inconjunction with the instructions of the policy service, disseminationof information to one or more of the mobile wireless clients from thedatabase on a shared basis responsive to a determination of a privacystate of the information among the plurality of mobile wireless clients;and managing the database, the router, the policy service, and the shareagent using the controller in the wireless server.
 42. Themachine-readable storage memory of claim 41, wherein the instructionsinclude one or more instructions to manage all communications with theplurality of mobile wireless clients over secure connections between thewireless server and each mobile wireless client such that each one ofthe secure connections is unique to a different one of the mobilewireless clients.
 43. The machine-readable storage memory of claim 41,the instructions include one or more instructions to: collect, in thewireless server, e-mails from one or more mail domains external to thewireless server, each collected e-mail corresponding to a useridentification; and support e-mail services of the mobile wirelessclients correlated to the user identifications, the e-mail servicesincluding coordination of the sending and receiving of e-mail from eache-mail domain corresponding to the user identifications.
 44. Themachine-readable storage memory of claim 43, wherein the instructionsinclude one or more instructions to route an e-mail message between theone or more mobile wireless clients without processing through e-maildomains identified in the e-mail message.
 45. The machine-readablestorage memory of claim 41, wherein managing information includesmanaging content of one or more of an interactive calendar, an addressbook, a message board, or a task monitor.
 46. The machine-readablestorage memory of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or moreinstructions to make informational content, collected from sourcesexternal to the wireless server, available to the mobile wirelessclients.
 47. The machine-readable storage memory of claim 41, whereinthe instructions include one or more instructions to automatically copyinformation from the wireless server to each mobile wireless clientauthorized to access the information.
 48. The machine-readable storagememory of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or moreinstructions to access a video programming source external to thewireless server and to make available video content from the videoprogramming source to each mobile wireless client authorized to accessthe video content, the video content routed through the wireless server.49. The machine-readable storage memory of claim 41, wherein theinstructions include one or more instructions to automatically providedata in an identified shared folder of the wireless server to anexternal wireless server, the identified shared folder correlated to auser identification associated with at least one of the mobile wirelessclients.
 50. The machine-readable storage memory of claim 49, whereinthe data includes calendar data, photograph data, music data, videodata, text data, or combinations thereof.
 51. The machine-readablestorage memory of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or moreinstructions to store configuration data specifying a configuration ofthe wireless server and to automatically provide the configuration datato an external wireless device based on occurrence of a specified event,the external wireless device correlated to a user identificationassociated with at least one of the mobile wireless clients.
 52. Themachine-readable storage memory of claim 41, wherein the instructionsinclude one or more instructions to provide, to a mobile wirelessclient, a representation of each media file stored on the wirelessserver for which the mobile wireless client is authorized to access. 53.The machine-readable storage memory of claim 52, wherein the one or moreinstructions to provide, to a mobile wireless client, a representationof each media file includes providing a thumbnail of each of the mediafiles.
 54. The machine-readable storage memory of claim 41, wherein theinstructions include one or more instructions to control communicationto a mobile wireless client selected from the plurality of mobilewireless clients, the communication provided in a format selected froman e-mail message, an instant messaging communication, a page message, atext communication, or a telephonic call.